Passions
by Celeste-poet
Summary: A princess dared to cross into that which had been forbidden. And thus a series of meetings began, sparking the greatest love that had ever been known to the universe. Sere/Endy, Senshi/Gen. Title subject to change
1. Dreams of a Princess

_Chapter I. Dreams of a Princess_

It was the time of the Silver Millennium—a time of great peace and prospering upon this tiny moon. Upon this little world was a legendary kingdom, guarded by the power of the Silver Imperial Crystal. Its inhabitants had long lifetimes, extended by the Crystal itself. War was simply a whisper, a rumor from other planets and galaxies.

Life on the Moon was carefree—there was simply one rule: do not interact with the humans that lived upon the Earth. The Lunarians—those who lived upon the Moon—interacted with every other planet in the system, aside from the one they revolved around. These relations led to each planet sending an ambassador, a charmed and talented senshi, to protect and defend the Moon Kingdom. They were all young women of great heritage and power.

Sailor Mercury, from the planet Mercury, was the senshi of wisdom, and was a great asset in solving problems and strategies.

Sailor Venus, from the planet Venus, was the senshi of love, and helped to spread good cheer amongst the people of the Moon.

Sailor Mars, from the planet Mars, was the senshi of fire, and though usage of her power was rare, she also read from fires about spirits beyond the world she was on.

Sailor Jupiter, from the planet Jupiter, was a strong senshi, the senshi of lightning and nature. She helped to tend to the gardens upon the Moon, making them the most beautiful in all the galaxy.

Sailor Uranus, from the planet Uranus, was the guardian of sky and air. She stood at her post at the end of the solar system, though she occasionally made trips to the Moon for business.

Sailor Neptune, from the planet Neptune, was the senshi of water. She, as well as Sailor Uranus, stood at the end of the solar system, a sentry to see if intruders came.

Sailor Pluto, from the planet Pluto, was the senshi of time and space. She alone held the keys to the Time Gate itself, and stood at her post, watching, waiting—securing the future and observing the past.

The senshi from the planet Saturn was not yet activated—for it was believed that the planet was one of death and destruction. Should the senshi from the planet awaken, then surely the end was near, and the Kingdom of the Silver Millennium was doomed.

It was thought to be too informal for anyone to know their true human names, though Princess Serenity knew them all. When she was alone with her senshi, she called them by name.

Princess Serenity herself was famous throughout the galaxy; she was the equivalent of a celebrity for her own time. Her mother, Queen Serenity, was even much more famous; all knew of her ever-long extended life due to the power of the Silver Crystal. It was a much coveted power; in fact, many "loyal" subjects were coveted the ancient power. Others often wondered how such a small world could possess such a power. Whatever the origin, the Silver Crystal remained a symbol of the everlasting peace in the galaxy.

As for the Moon's relationship with the Earth—it was caused by an ancient feud that no one could seem to recall. The general idea, though, was that any humans whom inhabited the blue and green planet were not to be trusted. This kept the Lunarians from interacting with the planet Earth, and though the Moon was sworn to ignore the blue planet it orbited around, it vowed to prevent any harm from outside of it to come to that world. What happened on Earth, however, was business that it alone could deal with. As far as the Moon was concerned, the violence on the Earth was well-deserved; humans were quite fierce and could never begin to understand true peace.

It was the same planet that she was banned from that Princess Serenity wanted to go to. She was the only child of the great Queen Serenity, and heir to the throne of the Moon. Though she enjoyed the great balls and dances that her kingdom held, she felt as if something was drawing her to the blue planet so close—and yet, so far—from her own world. Day after day she would gaze from her tower in the Moon Kingdom Castle, watching the world that she knew she could never travel to.

Her feline guardian, Luna, often caught her staring at the Earth. "Dear Princess, what is it that you gaze upon?" she would ask.

"Oh, Luna, I wish to go there one day…" Serenity sighed wistfully, running a hand through her long blonde hair, which was tied in two buns on either side of her head.

"Princess, you know you are forbidden to travel to the Earth. Lunarians are not to interact with the people on Earth. They are rather harsh, rude, and primitive. They do not know anything but war and hatred. Surely a jewel such as yourself would be tarnished by even stepping foot in their world."

"Oh, but it cannot be that bad. I believe in the best of everyone."

"I know you do. It is that same naivety that could get you in trouble one day—though it has also produced love and power that has been unrivaled in all the galaxy. Your mother possesses that power in her Crystal, which one day you shall wield as well," stated Luna.

Serenity turned her pale face away from the blue world. "Do you really think I could handle all that power?"

"I have the most complete faith in you, my Princess." Luna bowed low in her cat form, her crescent on her forehead shining in the light.

"Thanks, Luna." Serenity stole one last glance at the world apart from her before she retired to her large bed for a night of sleep.

Time passed differently on the moon than other planets. Strangers from other worlds found it difficult to adapt to, but the Lunarians were quite used to the strange times when the light from the sun would appear and disappear. There would be times when darkness fell over the moon for some time, and other times when light would shine upon the moon, straight from the sun itself. Serenity found that she preferred the light. Darkness tended to frighten her, though Luna assured her that no harm would come to her.

The senshi of Mars, Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury stayed in rooms down the hall from the Princess. As ambassadors and senshi, they were allowed to stay in the Moon Castle as special guests, nearly as important as the royal family itself. Princess Serenity found them good companions for exploring different parts of the Moon. She was even granted permission to travel to their respective planets. None of it really captured her attention, however, as she still wished to step foot upon the Earth.

One evening, as the light from the sun began to dim, Princess Serenity found herself wandering the gardens of the Moon. She came upon Sailor Jupiter, who was busy tending to the plants. She was bent over, her long brown hair nearly touching the ground. It was tied back as usual, but still seemed to get in the senshi's way. In front of Jupiter, there were a myriad of flowers—some with bell-shaped stems and a rainbow of colors. (Most of these plants were foreign to other planets, such as the Earth, for example.) Jupiter noticed her Princess and curtseyed as best as she could with gardening equipment in her hand. "Greetings, dear Princess."

"Greetings, Makoto. And please, just call me Serenity. I do not always call you Jupiter."

"True, but you are my Princess," argued the faithful senshi, tossing her brunette hair aside.

The princess tried to ignore her last comment. As much fun as royalty was, sometimes being normal was what she wanted the most. "What kinds of plants are these?" asked Serenity, motioning toward a set of vividly red flowers in full bloom.

"I believe they are called roses."

"Roses? You believe? Where did you pick up the seeds to these?" inquired the Moon Princess.

Makoto looked around at the gardens, as if she were looking to see if they were alone. "Can you keep a secret, my Princess?"

"Ooh, a secret. Yes, I will keep a secret, Makoto. From where did the seeds come from?"

The lightning senshi's green eyes gleamed in the dimming light. "They are from…Earth."

Earth. The one place Serenity wished to visit. "How did you get there?" asked Serenity. "Surely someone must have noticed."

"Not particularly. As long as one of the senshi are around, the Queen and the people are not too concerned with our location. I have made many secret trips to the Earth myself. 'Tis a wondrous place, that Earth."

Serenity was set beside herself with jealousy. "I wish I could go."

"Ah, dear Princess, it would perhaps be too dangerous for you…though, just going to the rose gardens that I visited…perhaps that would be safe," suggested Makoto.

"You're not saying I should not go to the Earth?" asked Serenity bemusedly.

The senshi of Jupiter grinned. "I cannot say anything, for I myself have gone. To do so otherwise would be hypocritical."

"You always were a risk-taker, Makoto."

"I prefer to think of myself as an adventurer."

Serenity gazed at the Earth again. "When do you suppose I would be able to go?"

"Hm…well, Luna did give you a magic pen for your birthday, am I correct?"

"Yes, but I do not follow…"

Makoto sat straight up. "Perhaps one of us could disguise ourselves with your pen. We would cover for you…Venus is the closest resemblance. What is one visit to the Earth, anyway? No one would even notice if you were gone for simply a little while."

"Promise you won't tell?" inquired Serenity.

Makoto bowed. "Upon my life, I take this vow—to never tell of your visit to a rose garden."

Serenity smiled in spite of her friend's dramatics. "So exactly where on Earth should I go?"


	2. Encounter

_Chapter II_

Jupiter had offered to accompany her, but Serenity felt as if this was one experience she wanted for herself—her first trip to Earth. Perhaps it would be her only trip. She did not know what this reckless feeling in her heart was—was it fate? Was it destiny? Was it rebellion? All she wanted was a small glimpse of the world she saw from afar.

She crash-landed in the middle of a grassy field during her teleport, not far from where Makoto had said the glorious gardens were. Unfortunately, landing had not been one of her greater strengths. Her pure white dress was stained in the back with a tinge of green. Serenity bent over and inspected the ground. "This must be the grass that Makoto spoke of," she said to herself. The brown dust on the ground..it vaguely resembled the dirt that Jupiter also mentioned. Princess Serenity stood herself up, gazing around her. Large plants (Makoto called them trees) stood not far off in the distance. A large castle, similar to her own Moon Castle, stood to her south. It was a grand building, with many turrets and stairs. Flags hung from every corner, and stained-glass windows decorated the sides of it. Serenity hoped that no one would see her from that distance.

She wandered over to the fabled gardens that the thunder senshi had spoken of. There was many plants that were alien to her, and a few that she recognized from the gardens on the Moon. Makoto must have made several trips just for the seeds…

Serenity noticed the large red blooms, the "roses", as Makoto had called them. Serenity felt herself drawn to their beauty. Dew had settled upon the tips of the flowers, like diamond jewels upon red velvet. She was so interested in the flowers that she failed to notice a person coming towards her, until he was directly behind her. Seeing a shadow upon the ground next to her, Serenity gasped and turned around. Her cerulean eyes met a set of dark blue ones. The man before her was dressed in black, elegant armor. His golden sword was attached to his side. His dark hair wavered in the wind. Despite all the men and suitors that had approached her on the Moon, this one was different than the rest. She somehow knew, looking into his trusting eyes, that this was a special meeting, a special someone she could relate to.

Smiling, the handsome stranger said, "And just who might you be, pretty rose lady?"

"I…um…" Serenity cleared her throat. "My name is Serenity."

"Serenity…such a beautiful name, for a beautiful maiden. You truly look like a goddess," the man said motioning towards her body. Her white dress wrapped tightly around her small figure. Layers of the dress rippled in the wind. Serenity blushed at the compliment. The man continued, "I am Prince Endymion, heir to the throne of Earth."

Of all people to run into, Serenity thought, I ran into the prince of Earth! Surely I can tell him who I am, since he was so honest.

Before she could say anything more, however, Endymion asked her, "Where do you come from?"

Serenity looked up. Her beloved moon was a simple white circle. It was so strange—that little sphere was where she lived. "I am from the Moon."

"Ah, that certainly explains a bit. Such beauty is rare here on Earth, much less anywhere else in the universe."

Serenity blushed again. This stranger certainly had a lot of charm. She wondered what was drawing her to him so much. Was this the fate she wondered about? Was this meeting destined? What did Pluto—the ancient senshi of time and space—think, watching from her time gate? Surely she was not alarmed, or else she would have rescued Serenity then and there. Gathering her courage, she responded, "I was told about your rose gardens and wanted to see them myself."

"So that is what we owe this special visit to? Well, Serenity, I am certainly pleased you came all this way just to see my current hobby. You see, I myself help plant these gardens—the roses are my specialty," said Endymion, gesturing towards the plants.

"Really? They are rather wonderful. A friend of mine on the Moon plants these herself…she gathers leftover seeds from here."

"Strange, I have not seen her. I do not mind, however. She is welcome anytime, as you are. Would you like to come to my castle?" asked the prince, gesturing towards the tall building behind her.

"Please take no offense, but I perhaps had better not. The feud…"

"The feud is nothing but history. It does not concern us…you are certainly no threat to me, and I wish no threats upon you," said the prince graciously.

Serenity shook her head. "You do not understand. My mother is the Queen of the Moon."

Shock registered upon the prince's face. "That makes you a princess." He bowed very low. "I apologize, Your Highness, I did not know."

"Please," Serenity whispered. She touched his hands. "I would like to be a normal person, for just one day." His hands felt rather smooth and warm, she noted.

Endymion nodded. "I understand. Such pressures we face as royalty…I am sure it is as difficult for you as it is for me. There are some days when I wish to escape this world and travel to another…perhaps one day I can visit you. In secret, if you prefer…" He bent down to kiss her hand.

"I would like that," Serenity said shyly, blushing as the kiss landed upon her palm. She found herself wishing those lips would meet hers. She blushed again, very glad that the Prince could not read her mind.

_And thus a series of meetings began, sparking the greatest love that had ever been known to the universe._


	3. Approaching the Castle

_Chapter III. Approaching the Castle_

Serenity found herself at a beautiful fountain. Lilies were planted all around the stone structure, while streams of crystal clear water flowed from a rose statue in the middle of the fountain. It was a simple yet entrancing illusion.

Endymion noticed her fascination with the water. "You like it?"

"Yes, I do," she replied softly.

The prince smiled. "One of my Shitennou sculpted it himself. He's quite artistic."

The moon princess's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Shitennou?"

"Ah yes, I forget where you come from," joked Endymion. "The Shitennou are my personal guardians. They assist me in protecting the Earth."

Serenity nodded. "I have guardians as well. They were sent from other planets to join me on the Moon."

"Really? That's quite interesting. I do notice, though, that they are not here with you. Where are they, if you are here alone?"

"I could ask you the same thing," retorted Serenity. She crossed her arms, upset at the prince's arrogance.

Endymion chuckled at the princess's indignation. "I do apologize, I believe I have offended you," he said, bowing low. "You are right to question me. I do not have to travel with them when I am within reasonable distance of the castle." He rose up and smiled. "So, then, what is _your_ reason?"

Serenity was speechless for a moment, somewhat impressed by the prince's smooth answer. Not only was this man very well-mannered, but he was very well-spoken as well. It would figure such a man whom she fancied would have to possess what Luna would call a "smart mouth". He was just as rebellious as she was. That was fine—two could play this game, she reasoned. She reassumed a haughty demeanor and tried to act carefree. "Well, I can travel without them as I please," she said offhandedly, pretending to be interested in her nails.

"You left them on the Moon without notice, didn't you?" the prince inquired. Serenity stared at him in shock. "It is not hard to tell. You do not make for a good liar," he said gently with a dazzling smile.

Serenity pouted her lips in full. "Fine, you caught me. At least one of them knows my whereabouts. Besides, I could leave at any time."

"I wish you would not," spoke Endymion softly.

Serenity felt her heart skip a beat. Trying to retain her outward appearance, she calmly asked, "And why is that?"

"As I said before, there have been none as beautiful as you. I would request that you join me for dinner tonight."

"Tonight?" Serenity looked up. The sky had darkened and the same stars she saw from the moon peeked through the Earth's night sky. "Oh…I am unused to nighttime coming at such a strange time."

"I suppose things are different where you come from. Will you accept my invitation?" asked Endymion.

The blond princess turned to her newfound companion and nodded. "I should be delighted."

"Splendid. I am sure the cooks have already made their arrangements for the evening. They always make extra, however, so one more guest should not surprise them in the least. Come, let us go together." Endymion extended his arm to Serenity graciously.

Serenity smiled contentedly and linked her arm with his. Together, they made their way to the castle together.

"You let her do what?" asked an exasperated black-haired senshi. The four inner senshi, Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, and Venus, had gathered in Jupiter's private chambers. This was after the other senshi had inquired as to the princess's whereabouts. Jupiter had asked them to move to a more private setting, and revealed the truth. As it appeared, the others did not have the same carefree attitude about the princess's trip.

"Shhh, Mars, you must not shout so loud," replied Jupiter. "It's a short venture. She will be back before anyone notices."

"Are you sure about that?" questioned a blonde beauty from the corner of the room. Venus herself seemed more agitated than usual. Her cheery demeanor had turned to concern and tension. "I do hope you warned her of scum that traverse that planet."

"Now, now," chided Mercury, her soft blue eyes shining with patience. "That certainly is not pleasant to say about those who live there. Have you even met a human?"

"No, but I do not intend to. I have heard enough stories of their actions, I do not wish to witness it," retorted Venus.

Gazing out the window of her room, Jupiter sighed. "Well, for what it is worth, I felt it was the right decision. I cannot explain it…but I think she was always meant to go." She turned to the other senshi. "Did you not see it, Mars?"

Venus and Mercury turned around to stare at the senshi of fire, who appeared stunned by the sudden disclosure. She said slowly, "Yes, I have seen it, but I have also seen disaster."

"Disaster with her actions tonight?"

"Disaster in the future."

Jupiter smirked. "Then it is not the same thing, is it?"

Venus' mouth was gaped open. "When were you planning on telling the rest of us? We are a team, remember?"

"Shhh, I am sure she had her reasons," murmured quiet Mercury.

Mars sighed. "I suppose it cannot be helped. In any case," she said to Jupiter, "if the Princess goes again, then one of us shall accompany her. Is that understood?"

Jupiter nodded, her green eyes blazing with excitement.

"Well, while we are on the subject girls, where is the pen?" piped up Venus.

…..

Serenity and Endymion made their way through a stone path from the garden leading to the castle. The sheer size of the castle immediately impressed Serenity—her own castle was rather large, but this one was quite larger. Stone angels hung from turrets high; carefully carved windows with stained glass glittered in the shimming night. The stone appeared dark and old, but at the same time, warm and familiar. Several towers stood high with intricate designs covering their roofs.

"It is quite impressive," the moon princess commented.

The prince replied, "It was built by my ancestors a long time ago. It has and always will be our stronghold."

"Your own personal fortress?"

"You could say it is such. It can be fortified with heavy security if there need be."

Serenity turned her head to the side. "Forgive me if I appear too forward, but do you…do you engage in battle?" She bit her lip in nervousness, afraid to offend the handsome man by her side.

Endymion stopped in his tracks, gently pulling Serenity to a stop as well. "Now where would you get an idea like that?"

Serenity looked down in shame, all the more secure in her fear of upsetting the prince. "I have heard of wars that occur on this planet. It is said that they occur quite often and sometimes for no reason at all."

Endymion stared at her curiously. "Well, you should not accept only what you hear."

"But you mentioned security…"

A sigh erupted from the prince. "That comment was meant for a good impression only. I wanted you to feel safe and secure here. While we do hear of rumors of raids in cities far away, it has not occurred here in quite some time." He studied the young princess carefully. "Have you ever seen war?"

His partner shook her long ponytails. War…Luna had mentioned it briefly in a lesson, though Serenity had probably dozed off into her dreams by that point. All she remembered is that death was involved, and it was a rather scary notion to watch any person lose their life.

Judging a no from her silence, Endymion nodded in understanding. "I could not even begin to imagine it if I had not witnessed a small portion myself. It is not pleasant to view, nor is it pleasant to discuss." He cleared his throat abruptly and started walking towards the castle again with Serenity walking in step with him. By this time the darkness was descending rapidly, causing the foreign princess to become tense. She could not help it; darkness had never been her friend.

Noting her fear, Endymion put his arm around her. "There is nothing to worry about. We are almost there." He was correct; they were steps from the front gate of the castle. The gate was rather grandiose itself; it was tall, cast iron bars that swung open. Above the gate was the beginning of the castle, arced over the tips of the bars themselves. In the center of the gate was an emblem—Serenity could only assume it was the emblem of the Earth royalty, as Endymion had the same emblem on his sword casing. The pair continued to walk, crossing an open area within the castle walls. It was circular with arcs between the numerous stone columns. They soon reached the front doors to the interior of the castle. "Are you ready?" Endymion asked.

Serenity hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Sure."

He pressed on the large wooden door, and together they entered the stronghold of the castle.


	4. A Feast

Chapter IV. _A Feast_

Upon entering the threshold of the castle, Princess Serenity was amazed at how similar it appeared to her own. It had been long rumored that the Earth and the Moon had shared histories, and possibly even shared ancestries; the hall was evidence of this. Though her castle did not possess so many turrets, or the same type of stone for foundation, the insides were eerily comparable. There were seven columns; they were arranged in a circular fashion; three lines along the left and three lined along the right, while one stood in the back of the center of the hall. They surrounded a large courtyard, embellished with elaborate patterns of stone along the pathway to the back of the room.

Towards the back of the room was a pair of thrones; one was empty, and the other, a slightly taller throne, was occupied by a rather regal gentleman, with a long, black robe covering his shoulders. On his head rested a generous crown encrusted with several gemstones, the largest being a golden charm, which rested in the center.

The king was not the only person in the room; aligned along the walls of the room were numerous others, all apparently part of the royal court.

As the couple walked past the guards and other attendants, each of them courtesied to Endymion. Serenity was in awe—such a massive court was rival to her own. They were varied in costume; some were guards and soldiers, while others were clearly rich nobles and common peasants. No wonder the people of the Moon considered humans a force to be reckoned with.

"I see my son has arrived. And, pray tell, whom do we have the pleasure of meeting today?" greeted a jovial king, rising from his throne to greet Endymion and Serenity as they approached him.

The prince bowed low to his father. The moon princess motioned to do the same, but the king put a hand on her shoulder. "You are my son's guest, and therefore have no need to courtesy me. Now, my dear, what is your name?"

"Serenity," the blonde replied. She left out her title on purpose, and exchanged glances with the prince, hoping he would catch on. He nodded slightly, as if he understood her hesitation. There would be time later to explain her background. She thought if this meeting went well, and relations were established, perhaps she could initiate diplomacy. Goodness, would not Luna be proud of her now?

"And indeed you do look serene. Perhaps you know of me, but I will introduce myself. I am King Edward, a man pleased to make your acquaintance. Will you not join me at my table this evening?"

Princess Serenity nodded, smiling. "I thank you kindly for this invitation. It would be an honor." Apparently Luna's lessons in formality were not lost upon her after all.

"Then we shall dine!" The king motioned for the court to disperse. The king, his son, and Serenity headed behind the column to a long hallway. Bronze axes, shields, and swords with red dragon emblems decorated the hallway, along with portraits of what appeared to be previous rulers. The king motioned to his left as he began explaning the decorations. "These bronze axes were made a long time ago, back when my great-grandfather was seeking to defend our kingdom from invading forces. They are a reminder of our heritage and power."

"From what I remember, he was a skilled master of tactics on and off the battlefield," Endymion added.

King Edward nodded in agreement. "That is correct, my son. He innovated some of the techniques that my commanders still employ to this day." He chuckled. "But I am sure our talk of warfare is not fitting for your lady friend here. She is but a delicated flower, and it is for people like her we aim to protect this world," he said with a gentle smile. "Alas, we cannot protect everyone…" He removed his gaze from the moon princess and stared down at the walkway.

Serenity could sense the saddened emotion from the king, but declined to inquire about the source. _Perhaps he had lost someone important to him a long time ago_, she thought. She looked at Endymion, who also seemed to share the same sense of loss. _Someone important to the both of them._

They reached the end of the hall, which opened to a large dining area. A large square table that could easily sit thirty to forty people was surrounded by guests who had already occupied the chairs, waiting on the approach of the king. When the king entered the room, the room ceased talking and everyone stood and bowed to the king. He waved his hand at them and made his way to the head of the table, with Serenity and Endymion following him. As they reached their seats, the king pulled out a chair for the young princess. "As the guest tonight, you are to be at my right hand. If you should have need of anything, let my attendants know." Serenity nodded, lifted her dress and sat down gently. The king pushed in the chair and went to sit in his own chair, while Endymion sat across from Serenity at his father's left side.

Four gentlemen in dark blue uniforms were seated next to Endymion and Serenity, two on each side. They were not unlike the other soldiers, but had markings on their shoulders to indicate their higher status. "Ah, we have a guest this evening. And whom has Endymion brought tonight?" inquired one of them, who was seated next to the princess.

"She is Serenity," Endymion answered. "Serenity, these are my Shitennou: Kunzite,"-the man with silver hair who had spoken nodded—"Zoisite"—a blonde man with long hair waved, seated next to Kunzite—"Jadeite"—a sharp looking man with short blonde hair seated next to the prince bowed his head—"and Nephrite,"—a brunette with long wavy hair smiled gently.

Attendants entered the room, their hands full with meats and vegetables for the feast. They placed their plates on the table and stood to the back of the room. If one at the table motioned, an attendant came to assist the person.

As those seated at the table began to reach for what they desired and filled their plates, Serenity observed their actions. Endymion motioned for her to do the same. Something about her shyness attracted him to her. She was so innocent, and yet, was taking a big step by inserting herself into his world.

The man named Zoisite smirked at the prince. "Honestly, you tell her about us, but you have not mentioned her to us before. What kind of introduction is this?"

"I have merely met her today," replied Endymion.

Jadeite scowled. "Then how do we not know if she is a spy or not?"

"A spy? Sure you are joking," said Nephrite.

"It is no joke." The blonde man looked more serious than ever.

The prince put his hand on Jadeite's shoulder. "She is no spy. Surely even your psychic abilities can sense the good I see in her."

"And besides, from where would a spy come from?" inquired Zoisite.

"The Moon, perhaps?" Jadeite inquired.

Serenity nearly dropped her utensils but kept her composure. She had almost been discovered, and she had been on earth for merely a short time! She felt a pressure on her foot—she looked at the prince, whose glance told her she had nothing to worry about. He addressed the accuser, "Now Jadeite, how would a person from the Moon appear here? Would she be alone, as Serenity is now? We have not heard from the Moon in such a long time, and there would be no point in them visiting us now."

"Perhaps you are right." Jadeite did not look reassured, though. He kept a sharp eye on Serenity as he ate. This behavior continued throughout the evening.

Nephrite spoke up. "Enough of this nonsense. Surely you do not think the brunette I introduced you to could be an enemy as well?"

Jadeite grumbled. "I just think it's suspicious that all these women show up uninvited."

His friend laughed. "Come on, she made the most delicious stew I have ever tasted, and apparently it's not poisoned—Prince Endymion and the others had some."

"What was her name again?" asked Zoicite.

"Makoto."

Serenity nearly choked on her food. Her friend had mentioned her visits to Earth, but not about meeting the people below. What a surprise to discover! She composed herself, but caught the curious glance of Endymion. The prince smirked, as if he already had figured out her panicked reaction. She sighed, knowing that she would owe Endymion a full explanation later.

Fortunately, Jadeite's sharp senses had missed this exchange of looks. "In any case, you can never be too careful," he commented.

Nephrite patted his comrade on the shoulder. "Perhaps you should find yourself a girl too, it would certainly cheer you up."

"Watch, it will be someone just as stubborn as he is," joked Zoicite.

Kunzite joined in the conversation. "If it is, she will be just as suspicious of him, and their relationship will never go anywhere."

"That's true."

The king, who had been listening to the conversation, commented to Serenity, "So where is it that you hail from?"

It was the question she had been dreading. She knew not the exact layout of the land, so could not think of a location to use as her cover. She sent a quick pleading look to Endymion, who quickly answered for her, "She is a maiden from another land north of here. She journeyed here and is traveling to broaden her horizons." The irony of his statement was not lost upon her, and she was grateful for his explanation.

"Much more north, and it gets colder," commented the king. "I take it you are enjoying the weather here?"

"Yes sir, I am," she quickly replied, relieved he accepted the lie.

"Heh, I'm sure. Different climates can be difficult to adjust to, but you seem to be doing well. What occupations are your parents?"

Princess Serenity nervously replied, "Well, my mother is an important leader in the community—"

"Like a governor," interrupted Endymion.

She nodded, "And my father…" Her voice drifted off. She had not spoken of her father in so long, even to her senshi. She cleared her throat. "He was killed a long time ago. It happened when I was young, so I do not remember much about him." Her statement earned her looks of pity from those listening.

The king bowed his head. "I'm sorry to hear that. I lost my wife some time ago as well, when Endymion was young. She was ill from an incurable disease. It appears you two have that much in common."

"I'm sorry," Serenity replied.

"Don't be. It is not your fault. These things happen in the course of life. It is only natural. My greatest regret is that she could not be here today to see her son become a man."

Endymion cleared his throat. "Father…I am not proposing to Serenity—yet. I was merely introducing you because she is a stranger in our land and needed an ally in her journey."

"Oh, I see. Well, in any case, I am glad she is here." He turned to her. "You are most welcome anytime, my dear."

…

Dinner continued without my incident, aside from Jadeite's suspicious glances at the newcomer. Serenity could hear some heated muttering between Nephrite and Jadeite, apparently as to her intentions and origin. She felt guilty for causing some concern, and voiced this to Endymion when they were outside again, walking in the cool night air.

"Do not worry yourself about them. Jadeite is suspicious of everyone; naturally, he is also the highest general in my command. But he also possess the power to feel emotions and read signs; it is rumored that he is psychic. If this is true, then surely he will see you mean no harm," the prince reassured her.

"But he nearly guessed where I come from!"

"That was uncanny, I must say, even for him. But I will speak to him. He and the other Shinnetou are my most trusted companions; the truth will settle his worries, and will keep it a secret."

Serenity asked worriedly, "You are going to tell him?"

"Well, would you not tell your 'Makoto'?" the prince countered with a smile.

"I knew you would mention that," sighed the princess.

"Is she one of your senshi?"

"Yes. She told me of this place, and of the rose garden. She neglected to mention the precise details of her visits, however."

"So even your trusted senshi keep secrets?"

Serenity crossed her arms. "She had her reasons, I am sure, for not mentioning it. Knowing her, she probably forgot. She was much more enthusiastic about her roses."

"Ah, so that is where the last few blooms disappeared to," said Endymion. "It is quite alright though, her food was quite divine."

"She is known for her cooking and gardening. Quite a homemaker, I suppose you would say."

"No wonder Nephrite fancies her." The couple spent the next few moments in silence as they walked along the path, leading back to where Serenity had first met the prince. "Are you sure you have to go?" Endymion asked softly, stopping in his tracks.

Serenity stopped as well. "I am afraid so. My senshi can only cover for my absence for so long. Perhaps you should take a visit up there," she said with a wink.

"Perhaps I will, though from this evening, I think we will be much more discreet."

"I agree." They had drawn closer with every word, and were now merely a breath apart. Serenity could feel a strange yearning in her to kiss the man before her. Apparently he felt much the same way, for he came closer to her lips, sealing them with his own. The slowness of the moment took her breath away, and yet, it seemed to end all too soon. She smiled, as did he. "I will return."

"And I will come see you. I promise." He kissed her hand, and backed away. "Now I am curious as to how you depart."

Serenity grinned. "Like this." She closed her eyes in total concentration, and a glow enveloped her. She shot off into the night sky, leaving behind a trail of light and a prince who wished to pursue.

As he watched her disappear, he heard movement behind him. "So I was correct." The prince turned around, and Jadeite stepped out from the shadows, a smug look on his face.


	5. The Ark

_Chapter V. The Ark_

Endymion slowly turned around to face the man from the shadows. "I should have expected this."

Jadeite stared at him coldly. "You know you should not keep secrets as important as this. How do you expect me to obey when I do not understand your reasoning?"

"Friend, it is nothing against you or any of the other Shitennou. It is for her protection."

"You know nothing about her!" exclaimed Jadeite.

The two men stared at each other for several moments. The prince sighed and looked downwards. "You may be right."

"Of course I am." The uniformed man walked towards his prince. Suddenly, Jadeite started laughing.

Endymion looked at him in surprise. "Jadeite?"

Jadeite's grin glistened in the moonlight. "Leave it to the tallest of us to fall to a single girl. And you—you who had sworn to never fall for a woman's charm. You know I have to give you a hard time about it."

The earth prince smiled in relief. "You really had me worried. I thought for sure you would—"

"—Tell on you?" interrupted Jadeite, a smile still in his voice. "Surely not. I am more interested in where this relationship would go. Many times we have discussed extending our relationships beyond our borders. What better way than to allow the Lunarians to come to us? The Moon Kingdom certainly showed no interest before."

"So you do trust her?"

"I trust your judgment, nothing else. Even if you are somewhat smitten with her, there is no reason not to believe in your decision. You will be my king one day—if I do not trust you now, then how can I do so in the future?" Jadeite inquired, folding his arms.

Endymion bowed his head. "I appreciate your sentiments."

"Besides, the fates have sent her here for a reason. I do not know the future, but I do know this: tonight will be the first of many. And you should proceed with caution, Prince Endymion," warned Jadeite.

"I shall." Endymion walked towards his general and put his hands on his shoulders. "Thank you."

…..

The princess of the moon made her way quietly to her quarters. Fortunately, the halls appeared to be clear. As long as she did not run into—

"Princess?" a voice called out.

_Her_, she thought. Serenity stopped in her tracks in the middle of the hall and turned her head around slowly. Luna stared at her with some curiosity in her feline eyes. "Yes Luna?" squeaked Serenity, hoping her guardian would not interrogate about her past whereabouts.

"I thought you were at dinner. You know you do not have to wander the halls alone," Luna said.

"Well, I, uh, had enough to eat. I am so full that I am tired. I wanted to retire to my quarters early."

"You?" asked a surprised Luna. "You always are the last one to leave the dinner table. Well, finally you are curving your gluttony. Perhaps those royalty lessons are getting through to you."

The princess nervously laughed. "Heh. Yeah. Guess they are." She cleared her throat. "I am going to rest now."

"Alright. See you in a rotation* for your lessons."

Serenity courtesied to her guardian, and then hurried down the hall to her room. Luna turned her head. She knew something was going on, but as flighty as the princess could be, surely it was nothing too serious.

….

The blonde princess made it to her quarters, entered, and quickly shut the door behind her. She sighed, thinking only of how close she was to be discovered. She was also giddy with joy—her little rebellion was a lovely secret. Also the prince—he was certainly nothing like anyone she had ever met. Even the potential suitors whom had sought for her hand before showed no promise like he did.

Still half-dreaming, she made her way to her chamber bed and collapsed on it, looking at the ceiling. A light flickered on—the source of which was none other than Sailor Mars, in her nightgown. Behind her were the other senshi, all with curious smiles. Seeing the light, Serenity sat straight up, her eyes wide open when she recognized her friends, all in their night clothes.

"You had us all worried," accused the senshi of Mars harshly.

The girls separated from their corner. Mercury made herself comfortable in an armchair in the corner of the room, while Venus and Jupiter joined Serenity on the bed. Mars continued to stand by her light, unrelenting in her stare.

Jupiter asked with a twinkle in her eye, "So how was it?"

"It was so wonderful. So much plant growth! So much life! No wonder you are fond of it, Makoto." Serenity crossed her arms. "But you did not tell me the entire truth of your last visit."

The brunette rolled her eyes and stepped closer to the princess. "Oh well, I wanted you to see it all for yourself."

"And what about Nephrite?" inquired the princess, smiling.

"Who is Nephrite!" Mars exclaimed.

"Shhh," the others said.

Venus declared, "It must be someone you fancy; you are glowing, even in the dark, Makoto." The senshi of love studied her friend with a smug look on her face.

Jupiter sighed—there was no arguing with someone whose very power was that of love. "Maybe," she conceded, "but there is more to it than that. Besides, this is about Princess Serenity, not me."

"You are going to have to explain yourself later," Mars stated strictly, "but for now, we are concerned with the princess's safety."

"I was safe!" argued the moon princess. "Endymion would never harm me."

"Oooh, you met the prince?" asked Jupiter.

"The prince?" chorused the others.

Serenity nodded. "Yes, a prince."

"What was he like?" Venus asked, leaning forward eagerly.

"He was kind, handsome…and I think he likes me."

Mars stomped her foot. "This has gone too far. You cannot simply go off without our protection, much less no protection at all! What if something had happened to you?"

"But—"

"No! I will not tolerate anything less than your safety. It was irresponsible. What would your mother say?" accused the senshi of fire.

Serenity looked down. She chuckled in spite of herself. "You seem just like him."

"Who?"

The princess shook her head. "Just someone else I met on Earth. He's very similar in manner to you."

Mars stepped towards her princess and lifted her head. "It is not that I am mad at you—I just feel that you need to be more careful. While we have enjoyed peace for many years, it may not last forever. Do you understand what I am saying?"

Serenity nodded. She stood up and hugged her friend, who stiffly patted her on the back. Mars had never been much for intimacy.

"I will have to say, though, it is much harder to be you than I realized," Venus spoke up. "Do you realize how many times I had to force myself to trip just to appear like you?"

The others laughed, even the princess.

…..

Later that night, Jadeite dreamed of a girl with silver hair and a moon crescent on her head. She raised a crystal crescent wand into the air, and a bright light enveloped the scene. Before he could cry out, everything went dark. He woke up, wondering what his dream could possibly mean.

….

After the royal class, Serenity and her senshi went into Jupiter's gardens. As the rest of their time was free and clear, for what Luna and Artemis called, "_Relaxation of the mind_," they were dressed in informal dresses, free to enjoy their time as long as they wished—til dinner, that was. "If only there was some way for all of us to travel to Earth without causing too much distraction," Jupiter said. "Our teleports combined would be much too bright, not to mention our absence."

"Absences are easily explained. After all, if we all corroborate the same story, then we should have no problem," Venus said simply.

"Oh really. So how do you propose we travel?" asked a sarcastic Sailor Mars.

Venus grinned. "Follow me."

The four girls followed the blonde senshi down the winding path from the gardens to the stables. The stables were part of a large barn, with a dome of great height. A tower spiraling off to the right was where the quartermaster—the caretaker of the stables—was said to stay. Mr. Hons, as he was known, kept several apprentices working below while he was working on other projects. "It so happens, Mr. Hons is a good friend of a family," explained Venus.

"But what does that have to do with anything?" inquired Mercury.

"Well, you see, my parents from my home planet had a special project commissioned for me, as a gift for becoming the leader of the senshi a short while ago."

The girls entered the structure, and were greeted by an elderly man working at a drawing desk. "Ah, Minako! Or should I address you as Sailor Venus? Goodness, I do not mean to be rude." He bowed in apology.

"You can say Minako, dear Mr. Hons," said the smiling blonde. "You have been there all my life—my title is only that for which the royalty has bestowed to me."

"And the princess!" Mr. Hons proclaimed, bowing very low. "To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you and your court?"

Venus started to ask, "Have you finished…?

"Ah, yes! The boys finished early—they were more excited to discover that it was a project for the senshi of love. I think they secretly hope you will bless them with love of their own," said the jolly quartermaster, with a chuckle.

Venus smiled. "May I take it out for a test ride?"

Mr. Hons opened his eyes wide. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I wish to take my princess—" Venus gestured to Serenity "—on royal ride."

"Ah, of course, of course. Let me direct you to the controls, as it is, after all, your ark."

"Ark?" whispered Mars.

Sailor Venus only smiled and followed Mr. Hons into a much wider room. The others followed, and gasped.

Large would be an underestimated adjective, for the ark, as it was called, was massive. It was wide, but much longer in length, extending almost past the lengths of the stables themselves. An additional level, much shorter and smaller, but with windows, sat atop the massive ark. A few boys, approximately in their teens, were up there, sanding down the wood on the deck. "Boys!" called out Mr. Hons. "Miss Venus has arrived!"

Yelps of glee erupted from the woodworkers, who made their way down a ladder on the side of the ark. They slid down, their gloves whistling as the dropped the long distance from the top. They ran over and bowed in front of Venus and the others. "It seems you have quite a fan club," joked Jupiter.

"We are very pleased to meet you!" they exclaimed. The teenagers looked up and saw the others with the love senshi. "We all pleased to meet all of you!"

The girls giggled—even Mars was caught smirking. "Boys, we appreciate all the hard work you have put into the ark. It looks wonderful," said Venus regally.

The boys grinned in delight. "Thank you!"

Venus continued speaking. "We are going to take it for a test ride. No," she held up her hand as the guys perked up, "we do not wish to be escorted. This ride is for Princess Serenity's benefit."

Mr. Hons directed to Venus. "Shall we go up to the deck, then?"

"Yes, let us go." Mr. Hons pulled a rope on the side of the ark, which opened the inside, revealing a wide room and a spiral staircase. It presumably led up to the top, where the deck was.

"You would think they would come up with a quicker way to reach the top," muttered Sailor Mars, eyeing the stairs. Serenity shot her a look and nudged her with an elbow.

Mercury, who had been silent most of the time, spoke up. "We should have a few hours free to use as the quartermaster can account for us using the ark. This is actually quite a good idea."

Serenity giggled, "Of course it is. Leave it to Minako to find a loophole to travel somewhere we should not."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" asked Mars candidly. "Let us go see if this Earth is as grand as you say it is."

The princess smiled, knowing this was her senshi's way of allowing permission. "Okay, then." The girls followed the quartermaster and Venus up the spiral stairs. Serenity's heart skipped a beat, knowing someone on Earth, a certain prince would be waiting for her return.

….

"Ahhhhh!" the girls screamed as the ark shook violently around them.

Jupiter yelled at Venus, "You really should have at least taken a test ride around the moon before attempting this!"

"Shut up, I am trying to steer!" Venus snapped back, her blonde hair flowed back from the high velocity at which the ark was entering the atmosphere.

Mercury had self-appointed herself to be a co-pilot, as she studied the controls and was adjusting buttons. She read meters and made changes as to the altitude and speed. "We should not be far now! Our destination is soon!"

"Soon, we will hit the ground!" shouted Mars. "Do you know what you are doing, Venus?"

"I have this!" Venus turned the wheel, causing the ark to turn sharply to the left. Beneath the clouds, an island familiar to Serenity appeared.

"There it is!" she and Jupiter declared.

"Everyone, hold on!"

"Ahhhh….!"

…..

_*Rotation refers to a time period on the moon. It would not make sense for them to observe Earth hours if they are on the moon. My assumption is that the Moon Kingdom is on the north side of the moon, and therefore has alternating light and dark moments. For more information, see http:/ en. wikipedia. org/ wiki/ Orbit_of_the_Moon_

_**Also, the ark is something I pulled out of the video game Sailor Moon: Another Story. A small part of the story includes an ark that Venus discovers was used by her past self. You can travel in it from world to world. Really good RPG game, if you can stand the old Nintendo 8-bit graphics. Not entirely canon, but I wanted to use it for this instance. It was said that Venus used it many times herself to visit Earth, anyway._


	6. Introductions

_Chapter VI. Introductions_

Despite Venus's novice landing skills, Mercury managed to help control the speed at which the ark approached the ground. They landed safely in a forest clearing, not far from where Serenity and Jupiter had been visiting.

Jupiter was the first one off the ark. She flattened herself on the ground, nearly worshipping to some unknown entity that they were alive.

"Oh, stop being so dramatic, Makoto. I will get the hang of it," presumed Venus, whipping her long blonde hair back and retying her red ribbon.

"If I get back on that infernal contraption, it will be too soon." Jupiter raised herself from the ground, wiping the dirt off her green dress.

Mercury stared in wonder at the greenery and scenery surrounding them, while Mars crossed her arms and stared at the sky. "If we are gone too long, it will be suspicious," stated the fire senshi.

Jupiter replied, "We should be fine; after all, our guardians said we needed to explore more of our world. This is just a little _beyond_ our world."

Mercury took in a deep breath. "The atmosphere is considerably thicker than it is back on the moon. I suppose because of the greater gravity that is in force here."

The others rolled their eyes. "Ami, must everything be so scientific?" inquired Venus.

"Well, this is quite an exploration." She whipped out a small note-scroll and a quill pen and began jotting down notes and sketches.

While Ami was concentrating on her journaling, the others walked towards a path that led to the gardens. Mars asked Venus, "Do you not think that someone would notice a giant ark coming from the sky?"

"Rei, do not worry so much," assured Venus. "As fast as we came in, it would surely be a blur to them."

"Or perhaps a warning," a strange male voice said.

The girls froze. Jupiter asked, "Who is there?"

"Do you not recognize me, Makoto?" Nephrite, in his full dark blue uniform came from behind a tree. "I expected you to come back soon, but to bring others…well this is quite a party. It is good to see you again, Serenity." Nephrite bowed to her. "Prince Endymion will be thrilled to see you again. He has been going on nonstop about you every chance he gets to talk."

"Oh really?" Serenity blushed.

Makoto sighed in relief. "I thought for sure you would be out tending the roses, not exploring the woods."

"The woods are like my second home. I used to camp out as a child all the time," replied Nephrite.

Ami put away her scroll and pen in a short sling-bag around her shoulder and approached the girls. "Oh, have we met someone already?"

"I suppose I should make proper introductions." Makoto introduced the girls by their names and not their titles, though if she had known what Nephrite was about to say, it might not have been necessary.

Nephrite nodded to each of them, saying how it was nice to meet each of them formally. "You do know, Serenity, that Endymion has disclosed who you are—but don't worry," he said quickly in response to her worried look, "we will not tell another soul. Even Jadeite is comfortable with the situation. I suppose if you were anything but royalty, he may have an issue with it. He will never admit it, but he does have something of a soft spot."

"You actually told him who you are?" asked Mars incredulously. The princess's naivety infuriated her.

Serenity shrugged. "I had no reason to lie to Endymion. He seems so trusting."

"And I assure you, that trust is not misplaced," Nephrite added. "Shall we proceed to the rose garden? I believe Endymion and a few of the others were walking where he first met Serenity. I think he was expecting a visit, though maybe not so soon." He smiled and gestured towards a stone path on the right.

"Then let us go," said a happy princess. She and Nephrite walked side by side, while the others followed behind them. Mars scowled, unhappy about her disclosed identity, but secretly intrigued by what lay ahead.

As they approached the famed rose garden, they heard several men talking. Serenity recognized the voices as Endymion and his other Shinnetou. "Come on, girls," she whispered. She hurried her steps and made her way to the prince and his men.

Endymion was in mid-sentence when he noticed the approach of Nephrite and the girls from the moon. He knew not who they all were, but he recognized Serenity, and assumed the others were the senshi she had spoken of. "Well, dear Princess, it is good to see you again." He came forward and kissed her hand.

Serenity blushed and nodded. "The same here."

The other Shinnetou stared at the other girls momentarily before hurriedly making their introductions. The girls giggled at their nervousness.

"Well, it seems we have quite a group here," remarked Prince Endymion. "Surely you don't expect me to explain all of this to my father?"

"Not yet, anyway. They were simply interested in making sure I was safe."

Endymion looked over Serenity's shoulder at the senshi. "Have no fear, girls. As long as she is with me, I will keep her safe."

Rei retorted, "We shall see about that." Impressed by her boldness, Jadeite smirked.

"I was just thinking of going down to the river. Would you care to join me?" Nephrite asked Makoto, taking her hand.

The brunette smiled widely. "But of course." She turned to her friends. "Do you wish to come with us?"

"Why not?" Minako asked excitedly. The three of them started to walk down another stone path. Kunzite walked up to Minako and started making conversation with her. With moments, she was gaily laughing and having a good time.

Serenity and Endymion followed, with the prince discussing how boring his morning rituals were. Apparently greeting dukes and royals from far countries was not his idea of a good time.

Zoicite walked over to Ami, who was bent down, examining a blue rose. "This is quite extraordinary," she remarked.

Zoicite nodded. "Yes it is, but I have seen something even more beautiful."

"Oh? And what would that be?"

"You."

Ami's eyes widened and she stood straight up. Without a word, Zoicite offered his arm to her, and they made their way down to the river as well.

Rei stood off to the side, her face scrunched up in disgust. "How can they all be so trusting?"

"It is amazing, is it not?" inquired Jadeite.

The raven-haired girl snapped a question at him. "What is?"

"How they pair off like that."

"That leaves only you and me. And if you are even thinking—"

Jadeite interrupted coldly. "I was not thinking anything of that sort. You are surely far too intelligent to fall for that sort of thing."

Rei's eyebrows were raised, impressed by how perceptive he was. "Well, at least you understand me."

"No. What I understand is far beyond that. I understand women like you are hard to impress, so there is simply no point in trying." And with that, Jadeite stalked off after the others.

Rei stared at him for a moment. Looking around her and realizing she was alone, she stomped her foot. She ran and caught up with the strange Shinnetou. "You are really something, you know that?"

"It would not be the first time someone has told me that," Jadeite replied smugly.

….

At the river, the pairs sat and talked throughout the afternoon. Makoto and Nephrite discussed the plants of the land and how to grow them. Kunzite and Venus stood near the water, playfully splashing one another and laughing like old friends. Zoicite and Ami were looking at the scroll Ami had written, with Zoicite discussing some finer points of gravity and physics and Ami furiously taking more notes. Rei and Jadeite, who at first had said nothing to one another, were in deep discussion about reading the stars and signs in the fire.

Lastly, Serenity and Endymion were holding hands, watching the others and talking of their worlds.

"It is amazing, is it not? We are from two worlds, yet look at all of us: it was as if it was meant to be," remarked Endymion.

Serenity smiled and laid her head on the prince's shoulder. "'Tis a shame that we will have to leave soon, for people will wonder where we are."

"Perhaps we should make these trips when people are sleeping."

"That would be brilliant, but what would I do without my beauty sleep?" teased the princess.

Endymion stroked her face. "You will be beautiful no matter what."

The princess turned a dark shade of pink after hearing this compliment. She looked out at her friends, all enjoying their precious time. "I wish I could stay here forever."

"Perhaps one day you will."

The moon princess shook her head. "My home—my rightful place—is on the Moon. I have a Kingdom that one day I will rule; I cannot desert my responsibilities."

The earth prince nodded in agreement. "The same goes for me—I belong here with my father, for one day I will rule this kingdom."

"It seems so unfair."

"That it does."

The couple were silent. Ami was nodding to Zoicite and stood up. She walked over to the royal couple and asked, "Princess Serenity, is it not time for us to be going?"

The moon princess nodded reluctantly. "Come on girls, we shall come another time."

Her senshi stopped their conversations and looked at their leader. Knowing that it was time, they said their goodbyes to their partners and hugged them. In return, the gentlemen kissed their hands.

"I suppose we shall see each other another time," remarked Kunzite.

Minako nodded. "We will. I had a great time."

"Me too."

"I was glad to see you again, Makoto. Next time, we will have to cook up something together," declared Nephrite, making a stirring motion.

Makoto smiled and agreed. "You will have to tell me the secret of those blue roses too."

The brunette soldier exclaimed, "But of course!"

Jadeite and Rei had both looked away—as much as they did not want to admit it, they had grown attached to each other in such a short amount of time. "I suppose it would be a waste of time to tell you all the things a gentleman would tell you," Jadeite started to say.

"Oh, shut up." Rei leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. They were both so startled by this sudden movement that they recoiled back for a brief moment before kissing once more. When they came apart, Rei whispered, "Thank you for understanding me. I can read your soul as you read mine, and I feel that we will have no secrets."

"For there will be no reason to do so," agreed Jadeite. He took her hand into his.

Zoicite walked over to Ami. "I suppose this is goodbye, for a short time. I will be looking forward to what your calculations of your days as compared to our days will be."

"And I would be interested in hearing more about your theories in mathematics and physics. Perhaps next time we can play chess?" Ami suggested. "Do you—"

"I do, as a matter of fact. I wonder if we follow the same rules. It will be interesting to see how we each play the game." The two stared happily at each other.

"Princess…." Endymion whispered.

"Yes?" Serenity turned to face him.

"Until we next meet, I shall think always of you," he promised.

She replied with stars in her eyes, "And I, of you."

The girls departed, leaving all the guys waiting by the shoreline, waiting to see them again.

"That was not so bad, was it Rei?" inquired Serenity after they were some distance from the river.

Minako giggled. "Yes, and I believe you were quite attracted to that gentleman—Jadeite was his name?"

"Oh shut up," snapped Rei.

The others smirked. Their toughest senshi had found her match, just as they all had.

…..

**A/N: Please leave reviews! They help me be inspired to continue the story, as long as someone is reading. More than likely I will reply to you personally, as well.**


	7. Beryl

Chapter VII._ Beryl_

Luna paced around the princess's quarters. She had been searching the entire afternoon for the princess and her senshi, but they were nowhere to be found. Not wanting to cause alarm, she only notified Artemis of her worries, and he promised to search for the girls. It would not have bothered her on a normal basis, but there were rumors among the moon's scientists and astronomers about a distant object coming into their solar system. The feline could not describe it, but she felt it held ill will for those who would come across its path. It was still a significant distance away, but officials were going to make an announcement tonight about the news.

She finally sat down, thinking she would only wear herself out if kept up her exercise. There was no sense in worrying, she always told the princess. Yet she could not help herself from doing it now.

Her ears perked up, hearing faint footsteps down the halls. As they came closer, Luna could hear the princess's voice and the giggles of the other girls. Sighing, she went to the door.

The princess seemed to be surprised as she opened the door and found Luna standing there expectantly. "Luna," she said, "what are you doing here?"

"I have been looking all over for you girls. What makes you think you can disappear without notifying someone of your whereabouts?" Her guardian's voice rose in anger.

Princess Serenity gave a short bow of apology. "I am sorry, Luna, but I was safe. There was no need to worry." She turned her head. "You know we are perfectly safe on the moon. Why were you worried?"

The guardian cat sighed and looked away. "It—it is nothing." She looked back at the princess and her friends. "Listen, the astronomers are giving some big news this evening, and the queen will likely request your presence. You know it is your responsibility—"

"—To be present at every formal occasion, in order to distinguish myself as a future ruler of the moon," finished the princess, rolling her eyes. "I understand, Luna. I really do."

Luna doubted it, but did not press the issue further. "I will expect you and the others to be dressed tonight properly for dinner."

"We will," they chorused, and Luna walked past them into the hallway to find Artemis. Her anger at the absence of the princess had ceased, but as she continued on her way, she remembered she forgot to ask where they really had been. She shook her head at the though. Surely they would not do something as irresponsible as going to Earth. They probably took a long walk to the gardens.

….

Endymion was in a dream-like state when he faintly heard a knock on his door. "Come in," he said, standing up and straightening his vestments.

Jadeite poked his head into the prince's quarters. "Your Majesty, I believe you have a guest."

"A guest?" After the appearance of the moon princess, he had not expected any other visitors. "Who is it?" he inquired.

"Come see for yourself," replied his general, with a gleam in his eye.

Endymion followed Jadeite down the hall into the courtyard. He noticed the soldiers were at attention, and a large number of people had gathered along the walls. His father was seated as usual at his throne. Upon noticing his son's entrance, he rose to greet him and motioned to him a young woman who stood in front of them.

At first glance, she almost passed for a peasant, but upon further inspection, she had all the appearances of royalty. She wore a velvet black dress with a white drape around the waist and fine jewelry that sparkled as if enchanted. Her hair was a dark auburn, and her eyes were matched in color. The detail that seemed to stand out the most, however, was her figure. She was proportional in the way that most men would stare—as some in the court did—and her dress fit tightly around her curves, as if accentuating them. She curtsied to the prince, and he nodded in acknowledgement.

"Endymion, this is the great sage Beryl. She will be joining us for some time. I would like for you to introduce her to the rest of our sages and the Magic Court," said the king.

"As you wish, Father," replied his son. He walked to the newcomer and offered her his arm. She took it with a grateful smile.

As they walked to the Enchanter's Tower—which is what the sages of the time resided in and performed their experiments—Endymion gave her some background information on the Magic Court. Some years ago, when alchemists and magic were rampant among the people, false sorcerers often tricked people into giving up their money or worse, tricked kings and thus, entire kingdoms into complete ruin. In order to prevent this from occurring in their kingdom, the king of the time had, in his great wisdom, established a proper foundation for sages of his time to combat any threats that may threaten the kingdom. Not only did they experiment with logical science, but they dabbled in alchemy, prophecies, and other magical categories. Jadeite himself was known for visions in fires and in the stars, and so often participated in the Magic Court when he was not busy with his royal duties.

Beryl listened to this with great patience, though a kind of longing seemed to echo from her eyes. As they stopped outside the winding stairs that led to the tiered tower, Endymion asked if she had any questions.

"I believe you explained everything quite perfectly. I believe I am going to like it here."

"You do not mind if I ask a few questions of my own?"

She gestured politely. "Be my guest."

"Where exactly do you come from?" What little introduction his father had given had piqued his curiosity.

"I am from a castle to the north of here. We study in a similar fashion to your court. You may even go so far to call it a school, though there is little in the way of what you would call a formal education," replied the sage.

Endymion nodded. "Well, then you should feel quite welcome here. We are always happy to have those of talent enter our Court."

Beryl smiled and put her hands in his. "I do feel welcome. Perhaps it is your presence that calms my anxiety."

The prince felt a little uncomfortable with this remark, though he could not pinpoint the source of his worry. "Well, I will leave to you Master Chesn. He is a remarkable tutor, and if you are as advanced as you say, then he will be quite pleased." At this, the young woman appeared disappointed at something. Feeling guilty, he added, "I will also hope you will join us for dinner tonight."

"That would be wonderful! You are too kind, Prince Endymion," gushed the newcomer, overcome with excitement.

"I will see you then," replied Endymion, releasing himself from the beautiful woman's grip. He bowed and excused himself to his quarters again. Something about the sage made him feel uncomfortable. It was not that he was taken by her beauty—in fact, her attempts in getting his attention felt false somehow.

"Prince?" a voice called out.

The prince stopped in his musings and his footsteps, turning to see a blond general approach him. "Hello again, Jadeite."

"You do not sound excited to see me. Perhaps your thoughts are upon that beautiful woman? Ah, but which one," his general teased.

Endymion shook his head and continued to his quarters, with his friend falling in step with him. "I do not see her that way."

"Hmm, well I cannot say I blame you. For all of her womanly attributes, I cannot get past this feeling of ice when I approach her. Something feels off."

"Well, you do tend to judge others too quickly. Look at how you treated Serenity when she first came to visit."

Jadeite bowed his head. "You are right, my liege. Perhaps it is my paranoia, though you have to remember it is my duty to protect you and this kingdom."

"Time will tell if she is a friend or foe. She seems harmless enough, just a young sage in need of guidance. Perhaps you can assist in her training or her work," suggested the young prince.

"I will do so. It would not hurt to be a little friendly to her, in order to get to know her better."

Endymion laughed. "You, actually suggesting such a thing? You would think you have become soft."

"Quite the contrary. The best way to get to know a person's intentions is to let them think you have let your guard down."

"Always the cynic," remarked the prince with a sigh.

His companion raised an eyebrow. "Is that not why you chose me, your _Highness_?"

Prince Endymion scowled, knowing Jadeite was only trying to aggravate him. "You of all people know why I chose you. You alone have seen what is to come, and what has been. While your visions are sparse, I have them to thank for saving my life once before."

Jadeite softened, his dark eyes shining in the darkening halls. "It is you who believed in me, and brought me from my humble beginnings. Still, there is a reason for everything, and while this day may seem insignificant now, it will matter later."

"But of course."

….

The dinner that night turned to be quite exhausting for the prince. Even though Beryl was kept busy in conversation with many of her new admirers, it appeared she only had eyes for the prince. The king, being aware of this, nudged his son in amusement. Taking Jadeite's advice into consideration, though, the Earth prince did make attempts to make Beryl feel welcome, which seemed to feed her excitement all the more.

Lying in his chamber that night, he thought back to those moments and how they compared to his encounters with the moon princess. In his opinion, there seemed to be no comparison. While Beryl was lovely, Serenity was radiant. Where Beryl was enthusiastic, Serenity was sincere. He turned his head to the window and saw the moon, glowing as it did every night. Never before the princess's appearance did he even consider the moon as a kingdom of its own, a world unknown to him. He had usually looked at it without a second glance. On nights like this, though, he would wonder where the young girl who had stolen his heart was and what she would be doing. He wondered if her royal life was as ordinary as his…

….

Little did the prince of the Earth know, his beloved was looking in his direction as well. Her evening had been spent keeping up appearances and feigning interest in the discussions of the scientists. The only thing she had in common was that her thoughts were also in space—but in another direction. The comet seemed to be of little worry, as it was slow moving, but it was still quite a commotion for those who were interested in what would come from beyond their solar system. Some people seemed to be worried for one reason or another, though many saw this as only an astrological discovery of little consequence.

She sighed, twisting her blond hair out of her bun-like pigtails and straightening her hair. Serenity was glad Luna had not inquired as to her and her senshi's disappearances, though she knew the clever feline would not let it pass for long. She would have to be more careful in the future.

…..

And careful she was. Leaving elaborate alibis, from one person to another, traveling from one place and saying she would be somewhere else was a difficult task, but in Princess Serenity's mind, it was well worth the prize.

It seemed like only days since she had first met her prince, but soon weeks flew by. It felt like a whirlwind of emotion that seized her. Every time she visited, she learned something new about the mysterious planet that her world orbited. Every time she came, he was waiting with open arms. And every time her friends came, they seemed to be just as at peace as their counterparts.

Princess Serenity had almost become a regular guest at the Earth king's castle. Everyone knew her by name, though no one other than the prince and the Shinnetou knew of her true heritage. She was beloved and held in high regard for a girl with "a regular background." She even seemed to have the favor of the king.

Every time she visited, however, her presence seemed to be darkened by one thing: the animosity of the sage named Beryl, who had a reputation for extraordinary sorcery. She had tried to be nice to the woman, and for a while, it had appeared they were going to be friends. When Serenity joined Endymion-as she always did, as they were almost attached at the hip—she earned the wrathful looks of Beryl. She felt somewhat intimidated by the sorceress, though the prince assured her she had nothing to worry about. Despite his words, however, her instinct told her to be careful. Even Rei shared in her suspicions.

"I believe she may be in love with the prince," the senshi of Mars had remarked.

Serenity felt as if someone had punched a hole in her heart. "Then what will I do? Does Endymion love her too?"

"Do not be ridiculous. It is obvious to all—especially to Beryl—that he only has eyes for you. Think about it, dear princess, if the person you were in love with was attracted to someone else."

"I think I just did," replied the blond princess. "I can sympathize with her."

"Which is all the more reason you should understand her. Just continue to be your normal, friendly self and she will come around. If nothing else, she can gain a friend, which can be more valuable than a one-sided crush."

After considering this, Serenity tried all the more to make the sorceress her friend. It seemed at times she succeeded, though she was unsure of her progress. Time would only tell, she supposed.


	8. Revelations

Chapter VIII. _Revelations_

After one of her trips to the Earth, the moon princess was returning to her quarters, trying to contain her secret happiness at having seen—and kissed—her prince, even though this trip was a rather short one. Endymion had seemed distracted by something, though he would not elaborate on what it was. The princess told herself not to worry about it, though she could not help but wonder what it was that distracted him so much.

Luna had said she was needed at the palace that night, which was the main reason for her early return, though she could not see what for. Perhaps another diplomatic visit, or a lecture about her recurring daydreams during lessons in the morning. As she approached her room, she spotted the feline's crescent symbol in the hall before she saw the dark cat herself.

"Good evening, Luna."

"Serenity," replied the cat, bowing slightly.

"What's going on?" After she asked the question, though, she saw another figure behind Luna: her mother. The queen smiled gently and motioned for her daughter to enter her room. The princess and her mother entered, with Luna following behind.

After they lit the candles in the room and seated themselves, the queen spoke. "I have been informed you seem to have a knack for becoming invisible, dear Serenity."

"I, uh, well—" As comfortable as she was about giving alibis to others, it was not the same with her own mother.

Queen Serenity seemed to understand, however, as she held up a hand to her daughter's stammering. "I have been meaning to tell you for some time that I am aware of your trips to Earth," she said calmly.

In an opposite reaction, though, Luna—who had apparently not been told of this—meowed loudly in disagreement, her fur raised on end. "What? Your Highness, you knew of this? Princess, what were you thinking? Do you know—"

"Luna," spoke the queen, still calm, "it is alright. If you wait a moment, I will explain why." The feline looked at her dumbfounded, but kept silent. The silver-haired mother now turned to her daughter, who was also in shock that her secret had been discovered, though relieved that there was no anger in the queen. "I went and followed you one evening—your last midnight rendezvous was charming, to say the least—and stayed after you left. I spoke with Endymion."

Luna turned her head in confusion, not knowing what this was about, but apparently suspicious of the man's name. The princess, however, felt embarrassed that her last –rather romantic—evening with her love had been witnessed by own her mother. "You were there? The whole time?" She cringed.

"Well, I did have the decency to look away when needed. You have to understand, dear Serenity, I have been somewhat aware of something going on, and needed to investigate it myself. A scandal it would be—the Moon Princess with the Prince of the Earth!" At this, Luna's eyes opened wide, but she continued to stay silent as the queen talked. "Until I understood the situation, I could not expect anyone else to. And I see now that it is completely harmless. On the contrary, it appears to be a favorable relationship." Luna opened to mouth to protest, but again, the queen's raised hand kept her silent. "Relations have been strained, to say the least, between the Moon and Earth, but now we have a chance to end that—that which is the only blight in our corner of the universe. I wish you had told me, daughter, but I understand your reasons, as you should understand mine."

The princess nodded, her fears alleviated by her mother's knowledge of the situation. "I apologize, Mother." She bowed her head down.

The queen leaned over and lifted Serenity's head. "It is quite alright. He is a charming young man, and I can see why you are in love with him." Another hiss of dissatisfaction from Luna accompanied this statement.

"But he did not say he met with you—"

"I told him I would speak to you about it, and asked him to stay silent. I see he is certainly a man of his word."

"What did you talk about?" inquired the young princess.

"Familiarity questions, of course. His heritage is a strong one, and I am somewhat familiar with the history of his lineage. I have asked him to come to a ball we are holding soon."

Luna was beside herself. "You invited him _here_?" She stood up and looked at the queen. "What if he is a spy?"

The queen shook her head. "He is no spy. In fact, it was suspected that our dear princess was a spy by a few, but thanks to her kind demeanor and manner, she has dispelled any suspicions that may be a blight on her reputation and ours."

"So they know she is from the moon?"

"Not all of them. Not many, if I was informed correctly. But there will be a time for that," replied Queen Serenity. "In fact, now that you are in the king's favor, you may reveal yourself, though I would not suggest doing it front of a crowd, for now. It is important to gain his trust first."

"Of course."

Luna wrinkled her nose and whiskers. "I do not like this, Your Majesty."

"And you do not have to, Luna. Your worries are well-noted, but unfounded. I have seen it myself—is that not enough for you?" inquired the queen sternly.

Seeing she had lost the argument, the feline frowned, but bowed in apology. "Yes madam."

The silver-haired ruler rose and sat next to her daughter. "I am very proud of how you have handled yourself thus far—like a true heir to the throne. However, from now on, no secrets are to be kept, yes?"

Her daughter smiled with tears in her eyes and hugged her. "I suppose this would be a good time to mention my senshi have been with me on most of my trips," added the princess.

Queen Serenity chuckled and withdrew from the hug. "I suspected as much. From what I understand, they have found beaus of their own."

Luna rolled her eyes and sighed heavily in disapproval.

...

"Do you believe this is a good idea?" asked the princess, as she made her way along the rose path with her prince.

"From what your mother told me, it is for the best," replied Endymion.

Serenity sighed and was silent for a few moments. "What did you think of her?" she inquired suddenly.

Prince Endymion laughed. "I knew who she was when I first met her. It was obvious you take after her. I believe I made a comment such as, 'Well, I can see where Serenity gets her looks from.'"

His blond companion gasped. "Really? And?"

"Well, I believed that diffused much discomfort. Your mother is quite wonderful, and very understanding. She knew I meant no harm, she simply came out of concern for you."

Serenity nodded, keeping her gaze straight ahead. They made their way into the castle arm in arm, and many of the nobles recognized her and greeted her. She waved back, as did the prince. For a moment, Princess Serenity saw herself with him in the future, waving to crowds as if they belonged there together. She blinked, and realized it was only an illusion. But it occurred to her that it was the first time she had pictured herself with the prince permanently. Her heart skipped a beat in excitement, and looked at Endymion. He was looking back at her, as if the same thought had occurred to him. Whether it had or not was irrelevant to her—it was the perfectness of that single moment that pleased her.

They made their way to King Edward, who was as jovial as ever and pleased to see Serenity. Remembering her mother's orders, Serenity spoke. "If it pleases your Highness, I would like to request a private audience."

The king seemed surprised at this request, but a smirk crossed his face. "Of course, my dear Serenity. Why not take a walk with me through the castle? I am sure there are some rooms that you have not visited yet."

Serenity nodded. "That would be wonderful." King Edward waved off the guards and motioned for the couple to follow him. As they made their way through the halls, there was a few minutes of awkward silence before Serenity gathered the courage to speak up. "There is something I need to tell you."

"Oh?" Despite the question, the king did not seem the least bit surprised.

"Yes. I thought it would be proper for you to know where I am from." She paused a moment before continuing. "I am from the Moon Kingdom."

The king stopped in his tracks for a moment and studied her. The couple stopped as well, but then the king continued forward through his castle. "Why wait so long to tell me?" he inquired.

"I….I did not want you to suspect me. I understand that things have been strained between our worlds."

"And yet you chose to visit." Again King Edward stopped walking. "Why?"

Serenity looked away before she spoke. "I wanted to see what this world was like. I had always been curious and wished I had lived here at times. Despite my guardian's better judgment, I snuck off and came to see what was here. That first night I met Endymion—and you, of course." The king seemed to remember this, and motioned for her to continue. "I am sorry if you suspect me of deception now, but sir, it was out of fear of retribution that I kept my heritage silent."

"I understand. And now that I have gotten to know you, I feel you bear no ill will to any of us, least of all my son." He smiled at the prince. "If anything, he is perhaps a better judge of character than I am. I am curious, though, if you knew about where she came from?"

Endymion nodded. "She told me, and expressed wishes to be treated as any normal girl. I granted that."

"A normal girl? What do you mean?"

The couple looked at each other. Serenity answered regally, "I am Princess Serenity, daughter of Queen Serenity, ruler of the Moon Kingdom."

A look of shock registered on Edward's face. "Of course! You never did look like a peasant girl, but I never would have suspected this!" He chuckled. "Why, that makes you an even better choice for Endymion!" He beamed proudly at his son.

"Father…." Endymion tried to interject.

"No, no, it is quite alright! I am glad that we have had this discussion. At least we can place you—after all, it would be hard to hold a royal ceremony without having your heritage publicly known, no?"

"R-royal ceremony?" squeaked the moon princess.

"A wedding, of course! At first, I would not have approved, but you are pure in both heritage and in spirit, and so it will be done!" He clapped his hands. "Yes, I will have my orators and planners on this at once!"

"But—" Endymion again tried to speak.

"But what? It is obvious you love each other, and she would not have revealed herself if she did not have permission from the Moon Queen. Why, this is a beautiful diplomatic compromise! Beautiful!" He kissed Serenity's hand and dashed off down the hall in excitement.

Serenity frowned. "So only because I am a princess…..that is the reason I am allowed to be with you?"

Endymion waved his father off. "It is not like that."

"It certainly appears to be." Her sharp tone barely covered over her distraught emotions. She crossed her arms.

"My father is a traditionalist. You had his approval from the very beginning, but he always said he would have preferred if you were of royal blood. He was nearly making an exception until now." The prince shrugged his broad shoulders. "Now he feels there would be nothing holding us back."

"Back from what?" demanded Serenity. "From getting married?" The thought had never occurred to her, and now she was expected to marry. "Who said anything about getting married?"

"Well, I….I have been wanting to ask you for some time," confessed the earth prince.

A silence fell between the two lovers. The princess turned away from him, allowing one tear to fall, but not allowing Endymion to see it. Wiping her face quickly, she walked quickly away. Endymion walked behind her, reaching out, but she sped up and ran off. He slowed down and stopped, never being able to call out for her.

...

"Argument with the pretty lady, eh?" remarked Zoisite. He and the other Shinnetou were gathered in the prince's quarters.

"Can you not tell? It is the misfortune of those of us who find themselves in love," said Nephrite, twisting his dark locks in his fingers.

Jadeite, who sat closest to the prince, shot them a look. They fell silent and looked at the prince, who was still in a state of despair, hunched over at the edge of his bed. "I should have told her…" He shook his head. "I should have told her I loved her. I wanted to propose properly. Now…it is ruined…"

"Was she even interested in getting married?" inquired Zoisite.

The prince looked at him. "I … I do not know. I never did ask…it just felt ….right, being with her." His friends looked him in sympathy.

Nephrite suggested, "Perhaps she will come around." The others nodded in agreement. He continued, "It is not as if this is over. She is everything to you, yes?" Endymion nodded. "Then tell her so. She will understand if you explain."

"I do not know. Maybe it is best this way..." the prince mumbled sadly.

"You cannot possibly mean that!"

Endymion responded to this comment with a look of despair. Startled by such a miserable expression on the prince's face, Nephrite ceased his argument. The other generals stayed silent, not knowing what to say. They were experts in their respective fields, yet nothing in their studies nor experience had taught them how to handle situations of the heart.

As they meditated on their thoughts, a knock sounded on the door. The men looked at each other, confused, but Kunzite rose to answer it. He opened it to find Beryl standing there, looking as regal and elegant as ever, with what appeared to be a concerned look. "Hello, is the prince here?"

"He is," answered Kunzite with a hesitation.

"I would like to see him—if he is up for visitors, anyhow." Endymion shrugged his shoulders and gestured for the new guest to enter the room. Kunzite sighed, but stepped aside to allow the sage to enter the room. "I do hope I am not interrupting anything," remarked Beryl as she came into the room, "but I understand there was something that upset you, dear Prince. I came to check on you."

"That is very kind of you, Beryl, but I think we have things under control," snapped Jadeite.

Beryl's dark red eyes narrowed. "I do believe I was addressing the prince, and not you." She suddenly softened and knelt before Endymion. "If I may be so bold to request a private audience….?" She let the suggestion hang in the air.

The Shitennou moved uncomfortably in their seats, and seemed about to speak when Endymion spoke. "It it allowed." The prince looked at his generals and nodded for them to leave the room. They rose slowly in reluctance and exited the chambers. They closed the door behind them.

Beryl smiled as they left, and she rose to sit next to the prince. She was distracted enough with the presence of her beloved that she did not notice the door edging itself slightly open. She put her hand on the Prince's own. "I do mean what I said. I can tell you have been hurt."

"One of your powers?" asked Endymion, meeting her gaze.

Her red eyes gleamed with apparent sincerity. "No, my dear Prince, I can tell—with my heart." She put her hand over her heart. She could tell his eyes followed her hand, and could not possibly miss the low cut of her favorite dress. It revealed enough to catch his attention, and hoped to keep it.

The prince, as if realizing he was staring awkwardly, shook his head and looked away. "It is difficult to understand what went wrong."

"Ah, that is because you and the Shitennou are but men. No offense to Your Majesty, but what do gentlemen understand in the affairs of ladies?"

"You know of the situation?" Endymion inquired, turning to look at Beryl again.

She shrugged offhandedly. "I heard a rumor from a servant." This was a half-truth; it was herself that heard the argument between the Earth prince and the Moon princess. After all, she was considered something of a servant as she was a part of the Magic Court.

The handsome prince sighed, his blue eyes singed with regret. "It is….regrettable."

"Yes, it is. But you have a chance—a chance to be with someone who truly cares about you, who can grant wishes you never knew you had.." Beryl cleared her throat and continued. "You can be with someone who will never give you up, never let you down, never run around and desert you—someone who will never make you cry, never say goodbye, never tell a lie and hurt you."

Endymion looked at her strangely. "Serenity has never lied to me."

"How would you know?" questioned Beryl. She raised her eyebrows.

Unable to answer this, he stayed silent. Beryl could see he was thinking, even doubting about his affair. "I think you should take a look at those who _do _care about you," she continued. She blew out a breath and stated boldly. "The person who cares you the most may be in front of you."

Suddenly, the prince straightened up. Beryl was startled, but pleased. Finally, she was getting through to him. "You are absolutely right." He kissed her on the check and rose to his feet. "I know she cares about me, more than anything, as I do for her." He dashed out of the room before saying another word.

Stunned by this abrupt action, it took Beryl a moment to realize what had just happened. Not only did she not seduce him, he was headed to be with—_her_. Enraged by this, she pounded her fists on the bed. Rising, breathing heavily, she headed to her quarters. She knew something had to be done.

…

Able to avoid others in the halls, she made it to her room without event. As soon as Beryl shut the door, she let the first tear fall. Even that anger could not possess the sage for long; it was despair of her own that now filled her. It was as if all the feelings and emotions the prince had felt had transferred to her.

Sliding down to the floor, she sobbed. It was not fair. She had finally gained the courage to reveal her feelings to Endymion—her love—and she was only met with disregard. He probably never knew. They never did. She would have to do all but hammer the idea into his head in order for him to even get a glimpse of what she was really trying to tell him.

She sighed, tears still streaming down her face. How could she think she could compete with the beautiful moon princess? Even with all her own power, Beryl could not make the prince fall in love with her.

What could she do, then? What was possibly left? She had put all of her hopes into an opportunity such as this, and it was now ruined.

She rose, rubbing her eyes with the palms of her hands. She seated herself next to the window in a small chair, gazing at the stars. Beryl could see the moon, only a sliver on this particular night, but still shining all the same. She leaned on her chin, wondering what could be done.

_**You despair, young one**_.

Beryl started; she could have sworn she heard a voice. "H-hello?" she called out uncertainly.

_**Hello, Beryl.**_

The sorceress's eyes widened with surprise. "How do you know me?"

_**I know those who have suffered, for I have suffered with many. Your trouble is my own.**_

"You—you understand me?"

_**Just as you understand me,**_ replied the strange voice patiently.

"Who—who are you?" inquired Beryl, looking around her room for the source of the voice.

Look outside. She did, and could not immediately find what she sought. Her eyes began to feel drawn to the right edge of the horizon, where in the sky, she saw a gleaming fireball falling. As if reading her thoughts, the voice seemed to confirm her suspicions. _**Yes, here I am, my child. I am falling, as I always have, out of favor with the entire universe.**_

"I think I know the feeling."

_**Then join me. You wish to have your Prince? You can have that and more. I can guarantee this, as long as you serve me.**_

Beryl looked away uncertainly. This would be nothing short of betrayal. _**If you doubt me, think of all that you have left. The princess of the moon does not deserve him. You and I both know this—yet if you let her have her way, then they will be the ones with a happy ending, not you.**_

The sorceress leaned out the window. "What do I have to do?"

_**Make a wish.**_

"And?"

A dark chuckled echoed in her mind. _**And I will give you the tools necessary to take this world for yourself. Punish the Moon Princess. Destroy her kingdom. And collect enough energy for my true resurrection.**_

"Punish the Moon Princess…" This idea had never occurred to Beryl. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed to make sense. It was as if all of her judgment before had been clouded. _What did that girl know about running a kingdom, or falling in love? She is only using Endymion. _She smiled. _Yes, and as I am the only one to see that, I am the only one who can fix it. I NEED to fix it. _Possessed by a devilish glee, Beryl turned to the window again. "I know not nor care not what you are. If you are truly as powerful as you say, then grant me these powers, and I will set you free!" she declared.

_**Very well.**_

A flash of light flooded the sorceress's room.

….

**A/N: Yeah, you got RickRolled. Sorry, couldn't resist :D**


	9. Ignition

_Chapter IX. Ignition_

Sitting in the library, Jadeite looked over his scrolls. He could not concentrate on his notes, however; his thoughts were on what he and the Shitennou had overheard the previous night. He shook his head, remembering how desperate Beryl had been to force Endymion to be with her. The blond commander was secretly glad that the prince had not allowed the sorceress to influence his heart, but he was worried how Beryl would handle this.

He had been observing her—even a few of his precious moments with Rei were spent watching the sage. She shared in his concerns, fortunately, and promised to consult her fires about her spirit. After this, of course, a long discussion of magic arts ensued. He was advanced, but his discussions with that wonderful Mars senshi made him feel inadequate in some areas. This was the cause of his studies at this particular moment.

Jadeite moved the scrolls aside. Pretending to study them would be just as useless as never looking at them at all. Suddenly, a cold force enveloped his being. Flashes of images ran through his mind, with voices whispering and screaming all at once.

The next thing he knew, he was being shaken and he heard his name. "Jadeite! Jadeite!" When he blinked and returned to normal, Kunzite was standing beside him, looking concerned. Seeing that his friend had been restored, Kunzite took his hands off his shoulders. "That was one of the worse episodes I have seen you have."

Jadeite nodded, putting a hand to his temple. "Certainly has never been this strong."

Kunzite's eyes narrowed. "What did you see?" he asked urgently.

There was a moment of silence, and then Jadeite suddenly stood up, his eyes wide with concern. "We need to see Beryl."

…..

King Edward nodded to his advisors and straightened his robes as he approached the podium on the castle wall. Hundreds of people below him cheered for their popular king, and he allowed them to carry on for a few moments before holding his hand up to indicate silence. "Thank you, kind people. I am glad that you have come today, for today I have a special announcement." He gestured behind him, and his son stepped forward. Endymion stayed quiet as his father continued to speak. "As you all know, my son—the prince and heir to this throne—has been courting a young woman for quite some time now. Some of you may be familiar with her." At this, a good portion of the crowd cheered; they had been present when Serenity had made her appearances in the royal court. "I am pleased to announce that they are to be married." More cheers and applause greeted this announcement and the king cleared his throat. "I also will say something that may concern you, but there is no cause for alarm. You see, the girl Serenity is actually Princess Serenity." He paused for a moment. "She is of the Moon Kingdom."

As soon as this registered with the crowd, a loud murmur could be heard. Disagreement rippled through the audience. One person shouted out, "What is the meaning of this?"

The Earth King put up his hand again. "While you may disagree with her heritage, I say this is the perfect opportunity. After all, how long has our feud with the people of the Moon lasted? Who among you can even remember the reason we do not communicate with them?" he asked, while pointing at the sky. "Is it not the time for perfect peace? I say, if it was anyone else, I would be just as skeptical as you, but you yourselves have seen the girl and know she means no harm. Therefore, there will be a great celebration. I implore you to make Serenity feel welcome as if she was one of us—because soon, she will be." He held up both of his arms to indicate he had finished his speech, and the crowd cheered just as before.

"I suppose they do approve," remarked Endymion in a low voice so that only his father could hear him.

"If I do, then they do," replied the king, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. "It would have been better had she been here for the announcement, but –"

The prince crossed his arms. "It would have helped if you had allowed me to ask her hand in marriage first. It is for her and I to decide."

"Well I see no question about it, son! You and the princess shall be married. And," the king said, leaning in closer to Endymion, "if you want to keep the honor of our family name, you will follow my orders. Understand?"

The prince nodded in obedience. King Edward clapped his hand on his son's shoulder before leaving the podium, with Endymion following close behind him.

….

Beryl grinned as she slipped into the Magic Court tower. Vials of experiments, scrolls of notes, dusty books, runes, crystal balls, maps, herbs, and spices were scattered throughout the room on shelves, tables, and even a chair or two. The fireplace in the far side of the room was still smoldering. It was late in the evening, and Beryl knew the other sages had retired for the night. She gathered a few vials and herbs for herself, knowing the contents of the room would not be long in existence. After collecting these items, she walked to the door of the room and turned around. Putting out both of her hands, she concentrated. She had performed this spell before, but it took much difficult. To her surprise, however, the flames shot of her hands without much effort and began to envelop the room. She laughed wickedly, knowing the new powers which she had inherited were not for nothing. More flames came out, turning darker in hue to almost a pure black. The blaze ignited the vials and a few of them exploded, causing a chunk of the stone wall to be blown.

Putting her arms down, Beryl surveyed her handiwork. It would not be long now before the fire caught the guards' attention. The stone walls in the castle would prevent it from spreading, but it was not her intention to cause the destruction of the castle. After all, she planned on it being her own castle.

She quickly left the room as the smoke thickened. Her next target would be even easier than this.

…

Jadeite and Kunzite arrived at the tower, but saw it was already too late as soon as they opened the door. Jadeite had sensed the danger—he knew it was related to his vision of Beryl, though he was unsure of what the connection between the two was. While he was lost in thought, Kunzite called to the guards that were arriving to send for reinforcements. "Think we can put this out?" he asked his comrade.

Jadeite put a hand to his chin, studying the disaster. "Certainly no harm in trying. But as my power concerns fire, it would be wise to get the other Shitennou. Zoisite's powers would be the most helpful."

Kunzite nodded, and ran down the castle hall. He passed by the prince, who was running to the scene of the fire. Endymion caught up to Jadeite, who was still observing the flames. "What is going on?" inquired the prince, a little short of breath.

The Shitennou stayed silent as he reached out his hand to the blaze. His hand was completely enveloped in the black flames, but it did not appear to singe or burn his hand. He pulled it out, much to his and the prince's surprise, completely normal. "This is unusual," he remarked.

"Certainly. But what could it be?"

Jadeite sighed heavily before answering. "Dark magic."

…

"You believe it was arson?" asked a shocked king. He sat in his library, with only his son and the Shitennou in his company.

"Yes. There can be no doubt," answered Jadeite with a stern look on his face. "It was intended to destroy only the objects in that room. It was a very strong, dark and powerful magic."

King Edward rubbed his beard, looking down. "But who is to blame? After all, every one of the members of the Magic Court is—or has been—in my trust. Could it be anyone else?"

"Perhaps someone who has powers of their caliber but chose to be discreet about it," suggested Kunzite, who was leaning against the wall.

Nephirite spoke up. "That kind of power is not without precedent, though. Surely it would have manifested itself over a period of time."

A knock echoed on the door. "Enter," commanded the king, remaining seated in his chair.

The door opened to reveal the captain of the guard, who looked very solemn. "Sir, we have received reports of another fire."

"Another fire?" echoed everyone.

"Yes. I am afraid our food storage has been completely destroyed," replied the captain.

The king rose from his chair. "Who could be responsible? Who would do such a thing? Surely two fires in one day is no coincidence!" he shouted in anger.

"I would consult the orbs and the scrolls, but—" Jadeite stopped short, his dark eyes open with surprise. "That is it."

"What?" asked the others.

"The arsonist destroyed the tower on purpose. Had it been available, I—or any other educated in the magic arts—would have been able to find a way to determine who is responsible by using our books and orbs."

"Captain, I need you to have an emergency guard ready. I am not sure this arsonist is done yet. I do not need another incident on my hands," stated the king.

"Yes, Your Majesty," said the captain, bowing low before exiting the room in haste

Endymion looked at Nephirite. "Do you think you can consult the stars and see what our next move should be?"

"I can try. I do have a good portion of constellation mapped in my mind, but it will not be as accurate without my notes," replied the brunette Shitennou.

"I have kept a few of my notes in here. I will try to consult the fires if I can," added Jadeite, gesturing towards the fireplace in the room.

Endymion nodded. "That will be most helpful. Kunzite and Zoisite, you will come with me. Perhaps we can find a clue of our own." The two Shitennou nodded curtly and rose from their seats.

"Report to me if you find anything. I would like to be informed of every step you are taking," said the king.

The Shitennou and the prince bowed to the king and left the library. As Nephirite and Jadeite departed from the group, Zoisite asked the prince in a low voice, "Is she coming tonight?"

"Doubtful. Especially after the other night…" Endymion's voice trailed off.

His companion said, "It is just as well. Things are chaotic as it is. I heard a rumor in the village that someone is blaming her."

"What?!" the prince shouted. "That is ridiculous."

"I said it was only a rumor."

"It is a most ridiculous rumor," declared Endymion.

Zoisite added, "Then it is all the more important we find the perpetrator."

Dodging her way through the shadows of the castle, the figure of a woman was barely visible in the night. While the fires were keeping the castle and surrounding town bright with the blaze, there was plenty of darkness in the shadows of the flames. She wrapped her long black robe around her tightly and made her way toward the prince's room. Upon reaching her destination, she crouched down and listened intently. She could hear him rustling in his bed. _Before long, I may join you for a night's rest, _Beryl thought to herself. As busy as she was with her plans, the time was not now. _But soon, my prince. Soon._

Early the next morning, as Endymion made his way to the court, he could hear the cries and shouts of the people._ Perhaps they are upset with the loss of the grain and food that had been saved in the king's warehouses,_ he thought to himself_. _He knew the king would make it clear that the storage belonged to not only the people, but those in the castle as well. This meant those of the royal court would suffer along with them.

Because he was so immersed in his thoughts, the prince did not notice one of his commanders walking by his side. "Good morning, prince," greeted Nephirite.

Startled, Endymion stopped for a moment in his tracks. Recognizing his companion, he smiled and continued down the hall. "Good morning to you as well."

Nephirite raised his eyebrows. "I see you are on edge this morning. These circumstances can all be very stressful. You do know you do not have to bear it all alone, right?"

The prince smiled gratefully at his friend. "Of course, but who else can be responsible for these people's safety? Someone out there is out to destroy this kingdom from the inside."

"I understand," said the commander. "It concerns us all. But we will find who is responsible, do not worry."

"Did the stars show any light upon this situation?" inquired Endymion.

"Only that there is a great event to occur. Soon, there may even be a war."

"A war?" The prince stopped in his tracks. His commander followed suit. "How can this be so? Who will we be at war with?"

Nephirite paused for a minute before answering the prince. "With ourselves, I believe."

**A/N: My apologies to the long delay in storytelling. In truth, this chapter was written months ago, but I had forgotten to publish it. Currently working on the next chapter.**

**Excited about the new series this summer, and am itching to write again. Please feel free to leave a review.**


	10. Masquerade

_Chapter X. Masquerade_

Even with the king's assurance that there would be plenty of time before harvest to regain the lost grains, the people in the area were still unsettled. It appeared those in the lands beyond did not have the same trouble as the main capital did. The atmosphere of the land made Endymion feel uncomfortable, though many told him things would resolve in time, as soon as the perpetrator of the arsons was caught.

Pacing his quarters, the prince tried to think of ways he could control the situation. At the sound of a knock on his door, he snapped out of his thoughts and went to answer the door. Upon opening it, he found Jadeite standing there. "Sir, I am afraid I have some more bad news."

The prince motioned for him to enter his chambers. As Jadeite stepped out of the darkness of the hallway, Endymion could see the lines of worry etched upon the commander's face. "What is the matter?"

"The water has dried up."

"What?" Endymion was incredulous. "That cannot be."

"And yet, it is true," Jadeite said, "I have seen the riverbanks myself. We have received word from towns far away that their lakes have dried up. And as if that were not bad enough, the ocean—which is miles and miles from here—has lowered itself significantly, as if it too were drying up."

Speechless, the prince dropped into one of his chairs. Another knock echoed at his door, and as it was open, the visitor stepped in, revealing himself to be Zoisite. "My lord," he said with a quick bow, "is it true?"

"I…I suppose so. You can probably tell me better than anyone, though. Surely you felt a disturbance in the waters?" asked the prince.

"I did, suddenly last night. I feel as if the person who was responsible for the fires last night managed to cause this disaster as well."

"That is all the fires have told me as well. They are very indistinct as to who is responsible," added Jadeite. "All I can see is a giant rock."

"The meteor that fell, perhaps?" suggested the prince.

Zoisite shrugged. "That is part of the mystery. If it is related, perhaps a search for where the great rock fell may be in order."

"I do not think that is wise," Jadeite declared. "Even if it were responsible, such an evil cannot be approached alone, if at all."

Endymion sat back, looking thoughtfully at the ceiling. "And besides, why would it target this kingdom? How would it know this is where the kings of Earth reside?"

There was a slight hesitation from Zoisite, as if he were afraid to speak. Shaking his head, he went ahead with his question. "You do not suppose it came from the Moon? Perhaps—"

"No!" shouted the prince. "Do not even suggest it."

"From what I can tell, Zoisite, the Moon may be targeted by this thing as well. The visions I have…"

"The Moon? Serenity…" Endymion folded his hands together.

Jadeite put his hand on the prince's shoulder. "If you are going to go, now is the time."

They exchanged looks of understanding.

The senshi were lively and chattering as they prepared themselves for the ball. They took turns, in between dressing and styling themselves, to help the princess prepare for the night as well. Serenity, in contrast to the others, was not animated nor excited.

"Cheer up, Princess," encouraged Makoto, her long green dress swaying as she busied herself with helping the princess. She brushed through Serenity's hair and began to style one of her buns. Grabbing a feather-and-pearl barrette, she fixed it right above the princess's bangs. "This is supposed to be a happy night."

"I know…" Serenity's voice trailed off. She could see herself in the reflection of her mirror—it was almost as if there was another woman staring back at her. She felt out of place.

Minako twirled around in her new dress. From the top, it faded from a light yellow into a bright orange, almost giving the appearance of a sunset. She straightened the cross straps behind her neck. "This dress is so perfect. I am glad to have an excuse to dress up." She began to brush her blond hair, looking sideways at Serenity. "Surely you can find a reason to be happy, Serenity. I bet Endymion is just as upset, from what you told me. You have to give him another chance."

Ami spoke up. "Yes, it is as Minako says. It is unlike you to be so depressed. Please, please cheer up, dear Princess." She straightened out her dress, which was a light blue with golden straps on her shoulders. The fabric was raised on her hips to create a wavy appearance on the bottom. She tied a blue choker around her neck to match.

"Besides," teased Rei with a wink, "if you do not make up with the prince, perhaps I will take him for myself."

Serenity smiled in spite of herself. "But are you not with Jadeite?"

The fire senshi blushed deeply, her crimson cheeks matching the color of her red dress. The others giggled, including the princess. "See, that was not so bad, was it?" asked Makoto, putting her face next to the princess's. She stood up and began to wrap up the matching bun on Serenity's head, adding another barrette above the bangs. "You_ are_ allowed to have fun, you know."

"But not too much fun, young lady," mocked Minako in an attempt at Luna's voice. "You are going to be a Crown Princess one day, you must settle down." She tied a little red ribbon to hold back part of her hair.

"I think just tonight would be okay," Makoto replied. She stood back to judge the hairstyle. "Yes, this will do," she said to no one in particular. "Rei, could you bring her dress?" The girl nodded and came back with a long white dress. It was embroidered with golden circles across the top of the dress, puffed sleeves that hung off the shoulders, and long layers of white fabric. Below the chest area was a set of pearls that wrapped around the dress, and an extensive white bow in the back.

Serenity stood up, stretching her arms up. After the girls slipped the dress over her head, Makoto tied the bow tightly as the others brought out the folds of the dress. "That is quite a dress," remarked Minako. The others murmured in agreement.

"Of course, it is fit for a princess," stated Makoto.

"Girls," a voice called out. Luna walked into the room. "My, you all look so very lovely. It is almost time for the ball to begin. I suggest you finish getting ready and make your way to the court."

They chorused, "Yes, Luna."

Minako picked up their masks and began to help the others put them on. "We cannot forget these."

"Yes, after all, it is a masquerade," replied Rei, adjusting her black sequin mask. "This is so exciting!"

Ami asked, "But it will it not be difficult to determine the identity of our guests if we are wearing these?"

The girls giggled. "That is the point. It is all a surprise," pointed out Minako.

They finished the final touches on their outfits and headed towards the ball. As they left Serenity's room, Makoto whispered to the princess, "He will be here. Do not worry."

A hopeful smile made its way to Serenity's face.

The magic spell which Jadeite had cast was a rather lengthy one, but as he examined his surroundings, Endymion felt it was worth it. The environment of the moon was thinner than the one he was accustomed to on Earth, but it also seemed cleaner somehow.

Looking around, it did not take him long to find a long line of people whose destination appeared to be a grand palace. He put on his thin white eye mask and straightened his cape. Sighing deeply, he made his way to the crowds.

Beryl was confused. She had searched for the prince all around the castle the entire afternoon, but to no avail. No one had seen him, and to make matters worse, no one had seen the Shitennou either.

"How aggravating," she muttered to herself as she made her way back to her quarters. "I suppose given the recent events, perhaps he is busy taking care of the famine disaster."

Zoisite's voice snapped her out of her reverie. "Talking to yourself, Beryl? That is never a good sign."

Beryl stopped in her tracks and turned to see the soldier walking towards her. "Well, if it isn't Zoisite. Where is the prince?" she inquired.

Zoisite evaded the question. "We were actually looking for you, Beryl. Jadeite's visions said you might be in danger. Where have you been?"

"Danger? Certainly not," she scoffed. "In fact, I have never been better. But you did not answer my question."

The Shitennou studied her for a moment. "The prince has made his way to the Moon Kingdom." Beryl's eyes opened wide in shock. "He is to meet with the princess and talk about their engagement to her people."

"E-e-engagement?" the sage stuttered. "How—"

"Did you miss the announcement? Perhaps you have been so mysteriously absent that you failed to hear the great news," said Zoisite. "In any case, the other Shitennou and I would like to have a word with you."

Beryl scowled. "I will meet with you later. I—I have some arrangements to make." She stormed off without another word.

Makoto yawned. "These fancy balls do become tiresome."

The other senshi nodded, but Serenity stayed still, watching the crowds. "Now Princess," Minako asked, "do you not think you should socialize among your guests? After all, even the Duke from Orion is here."

The other girls shushed her as a tall gentleman with a white mask appeared. "Dearest Princess, may I ask for a dance?" His white gloved hands reached out for her.

Her blue eyes rose from the ground to meet his. Sighing, she nodded and took his hand. He was no Endymion, but that was no reason to decline his offer.

Just outside of the palace, a guard with a long scroll stopped Endymion. "Excuse me sir, just who might you be?"

Endymion cleared his throat. "I—I am here to see the princess."

"Isn't everyone," came the noncommittal reply. "But I asked who you were."

"A friend of hers. Just ask—"

"I cannot let you in without a name. Your suspicious behavior is not helping matters." The guard looked at him sternly.

"I, well—"

"Excuse me," a soft voice said. The two of them turned to see none other than the queen of the moon herself, standing behind them. "I believe this gentleman is from Earth."

The guard grew red with rage. "A spy!" He began to motion to the other palace guards.

"There is no need for that, Lieutenant Adiatus. I will take care of this matter. I am sure the young man means no harm," the queen commented.

"But he is the enemy!"

She shook her head and motioned for Endymion to follow her. As they walked around the palace to the gardens, she began to speak to him. "I understand you are in love with my daughter."

"I—" Endymion was unsure of what to say.

Queen Serenity smiled. "You do not have to say anything. I know. I wished I had known earlier, but that time has come and gone now. I know you are not here to hurt us—I feel no evil intention from you. But I do have concern for the people of your planet. The comet which fell upon your planet—it was full of negative energy."

"Negative energy?"

"Yes. I suggest you look into it as soon as you return. Meanwhile," she said with a smile. "I suggest you go back to the princess. You were planning to ask her something, am I correct?"

Endymion nodded. He was not sure if he was embarrassed or relieved that the queen already knew the entire situation. "I did hope to ask your permission first, my lady. I feel, however, that you already approve, if I may be so bold."

"But of course," replied the queen. She smiled. "I can see why she loves you. Now, why not go and find my daughter?"

"I do not understand," Beryl pleaded. "I did everything you asked, and he is—he is not here! He is with _her_!"

**But you will be with him soon enough,** the black orb in her room replied. It resembled a dark black hole, dimensionless and deep. **You have done me a great service, and in turn, I have given you almost unlimited power.**

"Yes, of course, I know."

**You know what to do next.**

"I know that as well, my queen. But will the others accept my leadership?"

**Assume command. Take control. **

Beryl's distraught face changed to a wicked smile. "And take it I shall."

"Are you enjoying yourself, Princess?" inquired the masked stranger.

Serenity nodded without a verbal reply. She was distracted by the absence of Endymion. She turned her head this way and that, hoping to catch a glimpse of a familiar face under all of the strange masks. _There is no possible way he could have made it here. I am only getting my hopes up._ Despite this thought, she could not stop looking.

Her dance partner guided her neatly through the crowd. "My name is Farasahn. I am from one of the moons of Saturn."

"Mm-hmm." She sighed and started looking downwards.

Farasahn stopped for a moment. Serenity looked back at him quizzically. "My dear, you do seem distracted by something. I do hope I am not boring you."

Serenity shook her head and guided him to start dancing again. "I do apologize, I am a bit distracted."

"Expecting someone special?" His question had a hint of a tease.

Again, the princess shook her head, her long blond hair coming over her shoulder. "Not expecting him at all." Realizing what she had said, she blushed and continued, "I mean, not expecting anyone like that."

The gentleman merely chuckled, and together they waltzed to the music. After the song finished playing and another one began, another guest came up to them. "May I?" he simply asked, gesturing his hand towards the princess.

Farasahn replied, "Of course." He bowed to Serenity and kissed her hand before he left. Serenity moved her attention to her new partner, who was much taller and had incredibly blue eyes behind his white mask.

"Good evening, Princess," greeted the masked man. She curtsied and repeated the same greeting, and together they began dancing. "You look radiant tonight."

She replied softly, "Thank you." She could not look away as easily as she did with her last partner—something about this man seemed very familiar.

A few minutes of awkward silence passed between the two of them as they danced. Finally, the man spoke up again. "Do you know who I am?" It was almost as if he knew she could not recognize him.

"Am I supposed to? I do apologize if—" And then the realization came to her. "_Endymion_?"

"The one and only. To meet my one and only." He stopped dancing and smiled at the princess.

Serenity was overjoyed. It would have been quite informal to shout and hug her prince in front of the crowd, so she motioned for Endymion to follow her and made her way to the balcony. Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched by the princess's senshi.

"Five rubies that is Endymion," Minako challenged. She looked at the others for a response.

They simply shook their heads. Ami replied, "Even I know who that is, Minako."

"Do you suppose he brought the Shinnetou with him?" asked Makoto, who started studied the crowd.

Rei shook her head. "I do not believe he did. I think this is a personal visit. Especially after…" She let her voice trail off and they all exchanged knowing looks.

As the royal couple stepped outside, Endymion slipped his mask off. Serenity did the same. "How did you make it here?" she asked.

"Let us just say that you are not the only one with gifted protectors. My Shitennou have powers of their own," Endymion replied. "Princess, it is so good to see you. I was afraid—"

Serenity interrupted. "Me too. I should have listened to your side of the story."

The earth prince smiled at her. "I could not imagine a life without you—which is why I wanted to do this correctly." He bent down to one knee and retrieved an object from a satchel on his armor. "Close your eyes," he insisted.

Almost giggling with glee, the princess obeyed the request. She felt a cold, round piece of metal slide onto her left hand. She opened her eyes to find a hexagonal-shaped diamond sparkling in the faint light. "It is the shape of a snowflake—or so they say," Endymion explained.

"Snowflake?" She looked at him curiously.

"You remember the precipitation we called rain on my world. Snow is when it is so cold that the water crystallizes and becomes ice. Falling ice is called sleet or snow." He stood up. "Snowflakes are said to be unique—that no two are alike. You, my dear princess, are like none other in this galaxy—in this universe. It is your light and your heart that I dream of. Will you, Princess Serenity, marry me?" He gazed hopefully into her eyes.

Serenity opened her mouth to speak, but moved forward to kiss him.

"He will pay for what he has done," swore Beryl as she turned her eyes away from the orb in front of her. She had just seen the proposal with her very own eyes. The mysterious orb was now positioned on a staff, with claws reaching around it. Its power seemed omnipresent, much like the fantasies of fortune teller globes she had heard about.

_**You have no doubts now, **_the orb spoke. _**I showed you how he betrayed you.**_

The sage snapped, "I know!" She took several deep breaths and took the staff by the handle. "We have work to do."

**A/N: Don't forget to leave a review if you liked the story! I don't have too much further to go. **

**Also, check out my profile page for my website/twitter/facebook info. I keep a poetry site (which is why I have been slacking in the fan fic department as of late). **


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